Kern Valley Healthcare sits at 6412 Laurel Ave in Lake Isabella, CA, and has served the Kern River Valley since 1964 as a small, rural, non-profit hospital and health district offering medical, skilled nursing, and senior care. The hospital facility, a critical-access type, has 24 acute care beds, a 3-bed ICU unit, and a 74-bed skilled-nursing center where nurses and doctors provide 24-hour care. You'll find rooms and bathrooms kept clean, and the staff works to keep patient areas quiet at night so people can rest. The hospital offers a range of healthcare providers, like those in Family Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Neurosurgery, Sleep Medicine, Reconstructive Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Dentistry, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics & Gynecology, so folks can get general and specialty healthcare all in one spot.
Some folks need surgery or testing, and Kern Valley Healthcare covers many types like general surgery, colonoscopy, knee and shoulder surgeries, cataract and Mohs surgery, and even angioplasty. They have lab and imaging services, with radiology open to outpatients weekdays and 24/7 support for emergencies. Their laboratory's state-of-the-art and handles both inpatients and outpatients, plus they've got a hospital pharmacy and a retail pharmacy onsite for medication needs. If someone needs help getting better after injury or illness, they offer rehabilitation like physical and occupational therapy, as well as respiratory therapy for breathing issues, and nutrition counseling too.
If an emergency happens, the emergency department stays open and staffed around the clock with board certified physicians and trained nurses, offering support along with quick access to clinical lab work and imaging when needed. MobileCare and a rural health clinic reach out to the community. Kern Valley Healthcare offers telehealth for specialty care, making it easier for folks who can't travel or live far away, which includes psychiatry and nutrition services. For people who need extra time to recover or just can't manage at home, the skilled-nursing center extends long-term care, and Redwood Senior Living provides assisted living, memory care, and respite care services right at the facility.
To check how folks feel about care, the hospital tracks patient experience with ratings on things like staff responsiveness, communication with doctors and nurses, understanding of discharge instructions, cleanliness, and noise levels at night. Safety's monitored through measures like tracking infection rates, pressure sores, falls, and unexpected objects left in surgical sites to help catch problems early and improve outcomes. The facility uses up-to-date electronic record systems such as CPSI version 19 and follows guidelines like Meaningful Use Stage 2 for sharing lab and disease information with other providers, which helps keep care coordinated and safe. They keep up with the latest in laboratory codes, using LOINC Version 2.80 for reporting results and supporting interoperability.
Kern Valley Healthcare is recognized for patient safety and made the 2023 Patient Safety Honor Roll, with a Foundation dedicated to supporting hospital improvements. Community programs, education, and a strong group of volunteers through the hospital's Auxiliary add a sense of belonging, offering services like a gift shop and thrift store, and helping out with patients and visitors. The mission here is to build a thriving community through steady, accessible healthcare, and that's what you end up seeing-a place that's small, steady, and quietly focused on caring for its neighbors.
