The hospital network that owns Mercy Medical Center is preparing for a merger, and the State Attorney General’s Office is holding a series of impact hearings, including in Mount Shasta Monday and Redding Tuesday. Dignity Health, which operates 30 hospitals in California, is in the process of merging with Catholic Health Initiatives. The California Nurses Association says they have a lot of questions they’ll be asking at the hearings concerning patient health and safety, healthcare access, and commitment to charity care standards. They want a guarantee that existing facilities will remain open for at least 15 years, not the 5 years stated in the merger agreement. Of course, the Nurses Association also is looking to secure their union contracts and pension. Tuesdays Meeting in Redding begins at 10AM, at the Red Lion Inn.