San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center is again accepting new admissions and bringing back displaced residents during its closure, Mayor London Breed announced, as per an official statement released by the city's Department of Public Health yesterday. This move comes after the hospital, representing a considerable chunk of the city's skilled nursing resources, completed a two-year recertification process with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), bringing it back into full compliance and restoring crucial funding.

The hospital is prioritizing the return of former residents who were transferred to other facilities at the direction of CMS. According to Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax, several have already chosen to return, reconnecting with their previous caregivers; the restoration of relationships speaks to the personal impact of Laguna Honda, which, despite the haunting risk of closure, managed to bounce back and retain its central role, in San Francisco's health care system. New admissions will follow in the coming weeks for others needing skilled nursing care with the requisite qualifications for Laguna Honda's services.

Mayor Breed, as per the City and County of San Francisco, celebrated this monumental step for Laguna Honda, emphasizing the tireless efforts of the staff to make necessary improvements and remain open. The facility has been a key provider of publicly funded skilled nursing care, especially for San Francisco's most vulnerable residents, including those who are low-income or suffering from complex medical conditions that often include behavioral health challenges.

Theresa Rutherford, President of SEIU Local 1021, expressed gratitude for the patience of residents and families during this challenging period. The union leader attested to the commitment to bring former residents back home, which is a promise that has been honored as part of the facility's reopening. Supervisor Myrna Melgar shared a sense of relief in fulfilling the promise to those affected by the recertification process, pointing out the staff's and leadership's unwavering determination to achieve this goal, according to the City and County of San Francisco.

In the wake of the recertification success, new admission procedures, including thorough policy and procedure reviews, have been implemented to ensure best practices in skilled nursing, with Laguna Honda being methodical about its process. As reported by the city's Health Network CEO Roland Pickens, the intended continuity and quality of care will be regularly assessed through evaluations and audits with each new admission, reinstating not just the service but the ethos of resident-centered, regulatory-compliant care that has been the backbone of Laguna Honda's 150-year long dedication to serving the city's healthcare needs.