Regional Medical Center in East San Jose continues to expand its medical services following its acquisition by Santa Clara County in April 2025, a transition prompted by years of divestment under its previous corporate owner, HCA Healthcare. Under private ownership, the hospital had previously downgraded trauma, heart attack, and stroke care, alongside shuttering its maternity ward. Since taking over, the county has channeled $17 million into construction to increase emergency beds from 34 to 54, addressing a critical regional need where a patient is transported to a public hospital every 11 minutes.
Patient volume has surged significantly since the county’s acquisition, with the emergency department now handling about 80,000 patients annually representing a 22% increase while doctors have performed 46% more surgeries over the past year. District 2 Supervisor Betty Duong emphasized that the county has delivered on its commitment to restore and strengthen care for the East Side, an economically disadvantaged community with substantial immigrant, Latino, and Asian populations.
Healthcare Access and Community Impact:
As the sole hospital serving East San Jose, Regional provides essential care to vulnerable and uninsured populations. The county previously restored labor and delivery services in October, and the newly expanded emergency department wing utilizes space that was formerly closed under HCA Healthcare.
Medical leadership and staff note that the influx of patients is driven by the county’s policy of never turning patients away regardless of insurance status, coupled with a welcoming environment established by transferred doctors and nurses. Daniel Nelson, chief operating officer at Emergency Physicians Associates, stated that the expansion will decrease treatment and diagnostic turnaround times. Meanwhile, Registered Nurses Professional Association President Allan Kamara stressed that while preserving and expanding the hospital was necessary, ensuring adequate nurse staffing remains vital to safely care for the growing number of patients who depend on Regional.
