Tri-City Medical Center entered a new phase Wednesday, July 1, as Sharp HealthCare assumed operations of the public hospital and renamed it Sharp Tri-City Medical Center under a 30-year partnership approved by voters last month.
Sharp assumed operations of the Oceanside hospital after Measure H passed June 2, authorizing the district to enter the lease and affiliation agreement. Final election results showed the measure winning with 92.33% support, compared with 7.67% opposed.
Officials marked the occasion with a dedication revealing new signage July 1.
The pact is one of two major North County hospital partnerships to advance as of July. Palomar Health and UC San Diego Health recently completed an agreement creating a joint powers authority to operate a new regional system, Palomar UC San Diego Health.
The newly christened Sharp Tri-City Medical Center continues to serve Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista and surrounding communities. Sharp officials said current patients can continue seeing their providers and that existing care teams will remain in place during the transition. Health insurance coverage for hospital services also shifted to Sharp on July 1, while preauthorized procedures are expected to proceed as scheduled.
“This partnership will expand access to high-quality primary and specialty care, enhance the patient experience, and support long-term financial stability for both organizations,” Sharp stated in a news release following early election returns. “At Tri-City, Sharp aims to strengthen medical services — restoring labor and delivery within the next several months and enhancing cancer care — while investing more than $100 million in infrastructure improvements and seismic upgrades.”
The partnership’s planned priorities include restoring labor and delivery services, expanding cancer care and making more than $100 million in infrastructure and seismic improvements, according to Sharp and the district. The affiliation also brings Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns expertise to North County, officials said.
The transition is the latest voter-backed chapter for the public hospital district. Voters in Oceanside, Carlsbad and Vista approved creation of the Tri-City Hospital District in 1957 by a 5-to-1 margin, according to reporting in the Encinitas Coast Dispatch at the time. Voters then approved a $690,000 hospital construction bond in 1958, and Tri-City Hospital formally opened in 1961.
