OC Restores Ambulance Service to Chapman Global Medical Center

Orange County health officials have reinstated Chapman Global Medical Center’s designation as an emergency receiving center, allowing ambulances to transport emergency patients to the facility once again. This decision marks the end of a three-year ban during which the hospital was prohibited from accepting ambulance patients. The action was approved unanimously by the county’s Emergency Medical Care Committee on Friday, with the reinstatement taking effect at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

Daniel Knell, regional CEO for KPC Health, which owns Chapman Global Medical Center, expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the county’s Health Care Agency and Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Dr. Almaas Shaikh in restoring the hospital’s emergency designation. The return of ambulance services is expected to provide local residents with greater access to immediate, high-quality emergency care within their community.

Chapman’s emergency receiving capability had been revoked in February 2023, primarily due to concerns regarding the slow offloading of patients from ambulances. The hospital’s management attributed these delays partly to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which quarantine areas were frequently at capacity. It is important to note that the revocation of ambulance services did not affect patients who arrived at the hospital on their own.

Chapman is one of four hospitals operating under the “Global” brand in Orange County, which also includes Anaheim Global, South Coast Global, and Orange County Global in Santa Ana. Many of these hospitals have faced similar challenges with county Emergency Medical Services. However, KPC Health representatives have indicated that these issues are being addressed.

Earlier this year, Anaheim Global Medical Center experienced a two-month suspension of its ambulance receiving status, attributed to the late payment of a state fee for laboratory services. Despite this suspension, Anaheim Global continued to treat walk-in patients.

In a related matter, a county restriction on transporting 911 stroke patients to Orange County Global Medical Center remains in place. The 282-bed facility’s designation as a stroke-neurology receiving center was revoked in November 2025 due to concerns over inadequate medical care. This decision followed a complaint from a family whose loved one experienced significant delays—nearly eight hours—for necessary emergency surgery because of alleged shortages in medical staff and equipment.

KPC Health is currently pursuing litigation against the county’s actions regarding Orange County Global, arguing that the decision was made without due process. The hospital continues to treat stroke patients on a walk-in basis while accepting non-stroke patients via ambulance. The reinstatement of Chapman Global as an emergency receiving center represents a step forward in enhancing emergency medical services within the region.

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