Providence St Joseph Hospital and the California Attorney General’s office have reached a temporary agreement in a case alleging the Catholic-owned hospital in Humboldt County violated multiple state laws by denying emergency abortion care to pregnant patients.
Last month, Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, alleging it illegally refused to provide emergency abortion care to a woman who was 15 weeks pregnant and haemorrhaging.
According to the stipulated agreement released tonight, St Joseph agrees to fully comply with the state’s Emergency Services Law, which prohibits hospitals from denying patients emergency care.
The hospital will allow physicians to terminate a patient’s pregnancy if not doing so would seriously risk the patient’s health.