Expanding Hospital Services, Emergency Care, Trauma Care and providing safe facilites.

By Marcelo R. Rivera, M.D.

Under the leadership of our new CEO, Michael Covert, and with the active participation of the Medical Staff, Nursing Staff, employees and community members our District has embarked on a Facility Expansion Plan (Proposition BB). This plan realistically addresses our current and future needs and is responsive to the community.

The Health System's mission and vision statement is reflected in the Master Facility Plan presented to the community August 4, 2004 and known as Proposition BB, "The Hospital, Emergency Care, Trauma Center Improvement and Repair Measure." This facility plan will double the number of Emergency Rooms, Critical Care Rooms, Trauma Care capacity, increase hospital bed capacity by 70% and build Community Urgent Care/After Hours Centers in various communities.

Currently, Palomar-Pomerado Health District is beyond capacity. The Emergency Room system was designed for 50,000 annual patient visits per year and currently is handling over 80,000 patient visits per year. This lack of capacity will increase in the next ten to fifteen years, making it increasingly difficult to handle the needs of the community. The population of the Hospital District's service area is predicted to increase by 35-40% from the current population of approximately 500,000 people. In the 1400 sq. miles of the Trauma Care service area this predicted increase will mean the Health System will have to meet the needs of over 1.2 million people in a system that is already beyond capacity.

In response to this growing need and the mandates of Senate Bill 1953, which requires all Hospitals to be "earthquake safe" the Board of Directors and staff have worked over the last four years to prepare the current Master Facility Plan, which will appear on the voters' ballot and is known as Proposition BB. This plan calls for the building of a "state of the art" 453 bed "Hospital of the Future" in Escondido with better access to the major freeways. Pomerado Hospital will be expanded form the current 107 bed capacity to 211 beds, the number of Emergency Rooms, Operating Rooms and Critical Care Rooms will be doubled throughout the Hospital District. Urgent Care and After Hour services will be provided in the communities of Ramona, Rancho Penasquitos, Escondido, Valley Center/Pauma Valley and San Marcos. This plan is realistic, responsible and responsive to the needs of the community.