SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- New developments out of the South Bay, where late Wednesday afternoon, Santa Clara County announced its purchase of Regional Medical Center in East San Jose. The move will restore the area's only trauma center and is considered a major victory for community members.
It comes after a coalition of patients and advocates rallied and fought for months to keep the community's only trauma center. "Our community needs the trauma care center on the east side, there is not any other trauma care in the east side at this moment," said Maria Noelle Fernandez, executive director of Working Partnerships, who helped form the coalition to keep the trauma services. HCA Healthcare, the company that owns Regional Medical Center, announced plans earlier this year to close the trauma center.
Then the plans changed, from a full closure to a downgrade in resources. RELATED: Vigil calls out SJ health care gaps with this hospital downgrading while another is expanding The hospital said that the closure and changes were due to a decline in utilization. That downgrade was effective Aug.
12. But on Wednesday the county made its major announcement. "The county and HCA Healthcare have reached a preliminary agreement for the county to acquire Regional Medical Center in East San Jose," said James R.
Williams, Santa Clara County executive, at a press conference. The county now plans to, not only restore trauma services, along with stroke and heart attack services, but also.