SACRAMENTO— Today, the Assembly Health Committee passed AB 2282, which would authorize the Del Puerto Health Care District to operate a rural emergency stabilization center in Patterson, California, increasing access to emergency health care services for the west side of Stanislaus County.
Residents in Patterson and the surrounding areas live more than 18 miles from the nearest emergency department, creating unnecessary delays for patients experiencing a health care crisis. In these situations, the time spent transporting someone to the emergency department can mean the difference between life and death.
“Stanislaus County has identified lack of access to care as its number one health issue, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Patterson,” said Assemblymember Juan Alanis. “We have more than 25,000 residents with no local emergency room, no local hospital, and a 30-minute ambulance ride to the nearest ER. When every minute matters, that distance costs lives. AB 2282 brings emergency care closer to Patterson residents.”
The Del Puerto Health Care District is planning to break ground on an acute care hospital next year, which is expected to be operational between 2035 and 2040. This bill creates a temporary solution to help provide health care access while the hospital is being constructed.
AB 2282 now advances to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
