Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Q1 2010 - Market Summary

The demand for health care workers in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area dropped notably during Q1 2010 after big Q4. Of note during the quarter, It was announced that an expansion designed to shorten long waits at a Murrieta hospital’s emergency room remains shuttered as hospital leaders work with state inspectors to fix health and safety issues. Also of note, Valley Health System held informational meetings and notified employees or their unions of potential layoffs with the pending sale of the district’s assets to Physicians for Healthy Hospitals as part of its announced bankruptcy and debt reorganization plan.

Q1 Workforce Announcements

Inland hospital district faces showdown with suitor in bankruptcy court. February 18, 2010
Valley Health System, faced with mounting debt and little chance of profitability, faces a showdown in U.S. Bankruptcy Court with a health care company over the sale of the hospital district’s assets. The dispute between Valley Health System and Prime Healthcare Services Inc., has cost the district about $680,000 on top of more than $9 million that it has spent on bankruptcy costs. Judge Peter Carroll approved Valley Health System’s debt reorganization plan, which hinges on a sale of most of its assets, including the two hospitals, to a Hemet-area doctors group, known as Physicians for Healthy Hospitals.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local...

Previous market news

Hospitals and Health Systems

Source: US News & World Report

Education Program Expansions and Closures

No notable announcements during Q1 2010.

Education Programs

Source: The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Health of the Local Economy

Lower home ownership rates reduce the impact of home price fluctuations and increase the willingness of healthcare employees to relocate for better job opportunities. Below are home ownership rates for the overall Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA market.

Source: www.census.gov accessed 3/18/2010

The recent rising unemployment rates create new demands for health services. Higher unemployment shifts the mix away from higher margin procedures to more primary care in the emergency room and critical care for conditions that should have been treated early at a primary care physician. In general, rising unemployment also reduces turnover and engagement of employed workers, while low unemployment tends to increase intra market churn. Below are unemployment rates for the overall Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA market.

Source: www.bls.gov accessed 3/18/2010

Additional Factors Influencing HWS Labor Market Pulse^TM Index

• U.S. Census Bureau Population 4,115,871, #14 largest market
• U.S. Census Bureau Population #319 oldest market
• U.S. Census Bureau Population Growth 26.5%, #22 fastest growing market