Who
- Adventist Health
What
For those who lived and worked in Paradise, the wildfire that started Nov. 8, 2018, in northern Butte County forever changed things. The fire killed 86 people, injured 17, and 95% of the structures were lost, including significant damage that required Feather River Hospital to close.
After much consideration, Adventist Health has announced it does not plan to reopen the hospital. This difficult decision is due to the considerable structural and physical damage, the cost to rebuild, the post-pandemic health care world, and the current needs of the community. At present, the area lacks an adequate population, a varied mix of payers, medical providers, and medical necessities to sustain the establishment of a new, fully operational hospital.
Adventist Health plans to evolve its services over time to adapt to the community’s needs. For now, that includes an investment of $2.4 million to renovate its Feather River Health Center in Paradise, which was not damaged in the fire.
While continuing to provide various outpatient services, a new rapid care unit, primary care clinic, and women’s imaging services will be added. Plans for the future of the damaged hospital campus are being considered and while reopening is possible, it is highly unlikely until there are significant changes to the current situation.