Madera hospital's emergency room now reopened to patients after temporary closure

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera Community Hospital has reopened its emergency room after a maintenance project led to a total shutdown on Wednesday.

Hospital officials said Thursday morning that an air equipment replacement was completed without issue and the emergency department had reopened to patients.

The hospital had been coordinating the closure for months, getting approval from the California Department of Public Health and consulting with other local hospitals about the emergency services they'll have to take over.

"They are updated," Chief Nursing Officer Mark Brown said earlier this week. "They are aware of what is happening here at Madera Community Hospital. We have had multiple briefings with law enforcement, our department of corrections partners and also with the jail. So they are aware that we will not be providing emergency services."

During the closure, an EMS and ambulance crew was stationed at the hospital to help anyone that showed up to the hospital with an emergency.

Hospital officials said that advanced planning meant the closure had minimal impact on the community.

All other services at the hospital continued as usual.