Madera Community Hospital reopens after years-long closure

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera Community Hospital has now opened its doors to the public.

The hospital began accepting patients at 10 am Tuesday.

The closure left residents in Madera without a nearby health care center.

Over the past year, a new management team has worked to remodel the hospital and hire staff.

Steve Stark, the CEO of the hospital, says the team invested to create services the community needs and hopes people give the hospital a second chance.

"We want to be a convenient location, an easy to use location," he said. "I think when they realize the level of physicians that we've recruited and the level of staff, we've only brought the best. This is going to be an amazing experience for anybody who wants to give Madera Community Hospital a second chance."

The hospital already has 497 staff members ready to serve the community, with that number expected to grow to 550 as the hospital gets busier.