San Jose
– A new trauma center will likely open closer to South County
residents after a hospital agreed to unusual contract conditions
imposed by the county.
San Jose – A new trauma center will likely open closer to South County residents after a hospital agreed to unusual contract conditions imposed by the county.
Regional Medical Center has applied to open a trauma unit in east San Jose but has not been able to finalize a contract because Santa Clara County officials are apprehensive about working with RMC’s parent company, Healthcare Corp. of America, which closed San Jose Medical Center in November after giving three months’ notice, the legal minimum.
The county wants the center treated as a new facility subject to a six-month performance review, and wants RMC to post a $10 million bond to be paid if it closes without first giving six-months’ notice.
“It appears the county is bent on punishing Regional Medical Center and the community for our parent company,” RMC Spokeswoman Victoria Emmons said last week. “It’s sad that the county is requiring things of our facility that are not required of other trauma centers merely because of something that had to be done. It’s the patients who suffer because we don’t have a third trauma center.”
But Thursday, Emmons said that RMC officials decided to accept the review period and the bond after they learned their annual payment would be only in the range of $100,000 to $200,000 a year.
“We had thought our payment might be a million dollars a year,” she said. “And that would be $1 million we’re spending on insurance instead of taking care of patients. We want to get the trauma center open.”
The county had three trauma centers until HCA closed the 334-bed San Jose Medical for financial reasons. It’s now relying on Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, which is owned by the county, and Stanford University Medical Center.
A trauma center is different than an emergency room. It must be staffed with nurses and technicians with advanced training and have trauma surgeons and anesthesiologists available around the clock. Hospitals with trauma centers must invest in expensive equipment dedicated to the center and receive certification from the state.
There is no trauma center in South County. People in accidents in this area are taken by ambulance, and often flown in CALSTAR helicopters, to the North County trauma centers. A new center in San Jose would benefit South County because most helicopter traffic is now diverted to Stanford, a 20-minute flight from Gilroy. The San Jose hospitals are about 12 minutes away.
Scott Weyland, chief flight nurse for CALSTAR, said the county has made do with two trauma centers only because there were unusually few trauma cases over the winter. He said the county was unwise to press the contract issues and potentially pass up the opportunity to add more services.
“The need is there and it will only increase,” Weyland said. “It’s not every day that somebody comes to the county and wants to open a trauma center. Why would you throw that out? But this is an opportunity to put the screws to HCA. The front line staff didn’t choose to close [San Jose Medical].”
Joy Alexiou, a spokeswoman for the county health department, said Thursday that the sides have moved toward a deal, but not all the bond issues have been worked out.
“[RMC] is putting some different criteria on the bond and we’re taking a look at it,” she said. “It’s definitely progress.”
Last week, Alexiou said adding a third center would benefit the county, but isn’t necessary.
“The trauma system is working great,” Alexiou said. “Another trauma center is a benefit but I wouldn’t say it’s urgent. We haven’t had any problems with trauma.”
She said that the abrupt closure of San Jose Medical strained the county’s medical resources, which had to be mobilized swiftly to cope with the loss of hospital, emergency and trauma services.
“It didn’t give us much time to plan and make adjustments for the kinds of impacts closure would have,” Alexiou said. “They could give another 90-day notice and we don’t think that’s long enough.”
RMC officials contend they should be held to the same standards as other trauma centers. The six-month review clause is standard for new trauma centers, but Emmons said Regional should be treated differently because the trauma center staff and equipment were merged into RMC with the rest of San Jose Medical. And, she said, keeping that staff on for the last six months proves RMC’s commitment to the community.
“Our goal has always been that we would continue trauma services,” she said. “We’ve made a huge commitment to this community and we will be expanding our facilities this summer with a new patient tower and expanded emergency services.”
Supervisor Don Gage said this week the bond is necessary.
“They need to be treated differently,” Gage said. “I’m a little skeptical about HCA. There’s got be some teeth in the face of that 90 days and because it’s a new trauma center they need to be reviewed after six months.”
Supervisor Pete McHugh had suggested the parties enter a six-month contract and spend that time hammering out other details, but neither party nor his colleagues supported that option.
“I can understand my colleagues being extremely wary of HCA given its demonstrated behavior in the past,” McHugh said, “but I approach it differently. It seems we are better served by a third trauma center. The bond is unreasonable. The population is going to grow and the population is going to grow older.”
The contract is subject to approval by county supervisors, which could come later this month. Emmons said the trauma center may open as soon as July 1.
“We’re ready to open today, but the lawyers have to work out the details,” she said.
