State panel gives hospitals a break on seismic safety

In a move expected to keep the doors open at hundreds of medical buildings in the coming years, a key state panel Wednesday adopted a new high-tech tool aimed at reassessing the seismic safety of California hospitals.

Members of the California Building Standards Commission said the emergency regulations will give the state a better picture of hospital structures most at risk of collapsing during a strong earthquake and allow operators to save billions of dollars in construction costs in the near future.

"What we're doing is paying attention to the ones that really need paying attention to," said Rosario Marin, commission chairwoman and secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency.

Currently, 1,100 hospital buildings fall into the high-risk category and must be retrofitted or shut by a state-imposed 2013 deadline. The rankings were based on a decade-old method.

The new tool "corrects a very significant overstatement of the seismic risks to hospital buildings in California," said Bob Eisenman, public policy director for Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente.

For years, the hospital industry argued that meeting the strict seismic standards under the tight deadline could drive cash-strapped providers out of business and saddle others with hefty construction costs.

Earlier this year, a Rand Corp. study reported the seismic upgrades could hit $110 billion statewide. Researchers said about half of the hospitals couldn't meet the 2013 deadline.

With Wednesday's change, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development will start using new, customized software developed for the federal government to re-evaluate high-risk buildings.

Officials estimate 50 percent to 60 percent, or 550 to 660 buildings, could be reclassified, giving hospitals until 2030 to replace or shore up the buildings to meet even higher earthquake standards. By that date, all hospitals must withstand a strong temblor and be able to keep operating.

Lawmakers beefed up seismic standards for hospitals after the Northridge earthquake in 1994. More than 400 hospital systems were required to evaluate the seismic safety of their buildings. In Sacramento County, 17 of 53 buildings fell into the high-risk category.

A parade of structural engineers and hospital officials Wednesday endorsed the new method, saying it will look at more factors such as soil conditions and an area's history of seismic activity.

"There are a lot of things that we need to spend our health-care dollars on. This allows us to spend the money where it makes the most sense," said Chris Poland, chief executive of Degenkolb Engineers and former chairman of the California Hospital Building Safety Board.

The Service Employees International Union, a vocal critic of hospital delays in retrofitting, did not oppose the proposal.

But Richard Thomason of the SEIU United Healthcare Workers said the union will continue to prod hospitals to fix up buildings that remain on the high-risk list.

"We want things to get done. We think hospitals should continue to move forward retrofitting or rebuilding ones that remain in seismically active areas," Thomason said.

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