Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) has just hit the streets with a robust fleet of 12 new ambulances, aiming to slash response times for a health care system that takes pride in covering a vast terrain from Palo Alto to Gilroy, reported Santa Clara County News. Intended to enhance how quickly patients are transferred for urgent care between its trio of hospitals and a network of 16 clinics, this rollout significantly boosts the quality of medical transport services in the area.
Expressing jubilation over the expanded fleet, County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas relayed to Santa Clara County News, “This investment in medical transport ambulances will make a tremendous difference for families that have complicated and urgent health care needs. When it comes to emergency health care, minutes count.” The service upgrade is expected to be life-changing for South County's patient population, requiring specialized attention over 30 miles away at facilities like Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and O'Connor Hospital.
Breaking down the fleet, SCVH introduces nine ambulances tailored for basic interfacility transfer, one for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), one for advanced life support, and one dedicated to critical care transport, ensuring that specific needs are met with precision and speed. The initiative highlights the public and private sectors joining hands, credits to the collaboration with Westmed Ambulance Service, and the monetary fuel from The Friends of St. Louise Advisory Board contributing to the Valley Health Foundation as Paul E. Lorenz, CEO of SCVH, pointed out to Santa Clara County News.
Furthermore, the community played a notable part in actualizing this advancement. The gratitude was extended by Michael Elliott, President and Executive Director for Valley Health Foundation, who told Santa Clara County News, “It was our donor base in South County that initially responded and they played a significant role in bringing us to this point.” The new ambulances have reportedly already commenced service, with plans to complete branding in the coming weeks.
