Bear Valley Community Healthcare District is a rural, community-governed healthcare system serving Big Bear Valley from its hospital and clinics in Big Bear Lake, California. The district has served the mountain since 1974 and functions as the primary source of medical care for a community where the nearest larger hospitals are an hour or more down the mountain. Its stated goal is to let patients get the care they need without leaving the mountain.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Facility type | Critical Access Hospital |
| Ownership | Government, community healthcare district |
| Founded | Opened July 5, 1974 |
| Location | 41870 Garstin Dr, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 |
| Classification | Rural, San Bernardino County |
| Licensed beds | 9 |
| Employees | Approximately 139 |
| Emergency Department | 7-bed treatment area |
| Inpatient EMR | TruBridge |
Bed, employee, and volume figures are drawn from Definitive Healthcare. Founding, service, and leadership details are drawn from the district website.
The district operates well beyond a typical small rural hospital, offering a broad mix of primary, specialty, and support services under one system:
The district serves the residents of and visitors to Big Bear Valley. It is a strong Veterans Affairs community care provider with a large local VA population, which lets veterans receive care locally instead of driving to Loma Linda or Long Beach. The patient base is heavily weighted toward government payers, with a payer mix of about 42 percent Medi-Cal, 18 percent Medicare, and a large share of Medicare Advantage.
Bear Valley Community Hospital consistently ranks as a top-performing critical access hospital in Riverside and San Bernardino counties under the HCAHPS national hospital comparison survey.
The district is in an active growth phase under CEO Evan Rayner, with a focus on expanding services and keeping care local. Current and planned investments include:
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Evan Rayner |
| Chief Financial Officer | Jim Schlenker |
| Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer | Kerri Jex |
| VP of Quality, Risk, and Outpatient Services | Sheri Mursick, RN, BSN |
| Human Resources Director | Erin Wilson |
| Medical Director | Steven Knapik, DO |
The district's vision is to be the premier provider of emergency medical and healthcare services in Big Bear Valley. Its mission is to deliver the highest quality of healthcare to the residents of and visitors to Big Bear Valley through the most effective use of available resources.
