Providence St. Joseph Hospital, located in Humboldt County, has reached a temporary accord with the California Attorney General’s office concerning allegations that the hospital, which is Catholic-owned, violated several state laws by denying emergency abortion services to patients in need.
Last month, Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated legal action against Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, claiming that the facility unlawfully refused to provide necessary emergency abortion care to a patient who was 15 weeks pregnant and experiencing severe hemorrhaging.
A stipulated agreement released on Tuesday outlines that St. Joseph Hospital is committed to adhering to the state’s Emergency Services Law, which prohibits the denial of emergency care to patients. This includes permitting physicians to perform an abortion if failing to do so would pose a serious risk to the patient’s health. Furthermore, the hospital has agreed not to transfer a patient to another institution without first offering necessary emergency stabilizing treatment, which could involve abortion services if required.
It is important to note that St. Joseph and its parent organization, Providence, do not admit any liability under this stipulated agreement. This arrangement is contingent upon approval from the court and will remain effective as long as the litigation process is ongoing.
Attorney General Bonta expressed satisfaction with the hospital’s agreement to comply with the law moving forward, emphasizing that this ensures crucial access to essential health services, including emergency abortion care. He lamented that the hospital should have been adhering to state laws previously to prevent the distress and trauma experienced by Californians.
A request for comment from representatives of Providence St. Joseph Hospital has not yet been addressed.
The legal suit emerged from the account of local chiropractor Anna Nusslock, who claims she arrived at the hospital in February in severe distress due to bleeding, after her water broke prematurely while she was pregnant with twins. According to court documents, a physician informed Nusslock that internal protocols prohibited them from providing treatment because one of the twins had a “detectable heartbeat.”
Medical staff allegedly provided Nusslock with a bucket and towels “in case something happens in the car” and instructed her to drive to the nearest hospital, which was located 12 miles away. This nearby facility, Mad River Community Hospital, is scheduled to close its labor and delivery department on October 31, making Providence St. Joseph the only maternity ward available in Humboldt County.
The lawsuit asserts that Nusslock’s medical state put her at significant risk for severe complications, including potential infection and life-threatening hemorrhaging.
Although California has implemented some of the most robust abortion protections in the United States following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the state continues to face challenges related to religious and personal belief exceptions that impact hospitals and anti-abortion pregnancy centers.
This case marks the first lawsuit initiated against a hospital under the Emergency Services Law, according to officials within the Attorney General’s office.