Gary Singh, the mayor of Manteca, Calif., is concerned about the wait times at Manteca Medical Center, ABC10 reported Nov. 6
The hospital, under the umbrella of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, has remained the same size while the city's population has doubled since it was built, according to Mr. Singh.
The mayor joined Manteca citizens at a news conference and protest over the weekend, demanding better care conditions. According to protestors, patients are left in hospital beds and wheelchairs in the emergency room hallways when private rooms are full, and tents are being used as overflow areas.
The protest was organized by Sharon Washington-Barnes, whose brother Shawn Washington died of sepsis caused by delayed treatment of an undiagnosed lung hemorrhage after spending more than eight hours in the emergency department waiting room in April 2019. The Washington family alleged medical negligence.
"The big wigs at Kaiser don't live in Manteca to see what's going on in this town that started small but is starting to expand and become a big city," Ms. Washington-Barnes said at the news conference.
Kaiser has since shared plans to expand the emergency department, but Mr. Singh said he hopes to see those plans turn to actions soon.
"I'm looking for real expansion because the waiting times in the ER are, unfortunately, horrendous. I've heard from multiple constituents that the services aren't available there," Mr. Singh said. "It's not necessarily the staff's fault. It's just that they are overwhelmed with the amount of people coming in and then they have to be transferred to our neighboring cities such as Modesto and Stockton."
Aphriekah DuHaney-West, MSN, RN, senior vice president and area manager of Kaiser Permanente Central Valley, addressed the news conference and protest in a statement to ABC10.
Kaiser has invested more than $24 million in ongoing improvements to the Manteca campus since 2018, according to Ms. DuHaney-West, and another $32 million dollars in project work is anticipated through 2025 — including planning for the "eventual" expansion of the emergency department.
"Our heartfelt sympathies continue to be with the Washington family on the loss of their loved one," Ms. DuHaney-West said. "When any member of our community suffers, we suffer as well. Recently, an independent arbitrator ruled in favor of Kaiser Permanente on all of the family's claims, so we are disappointed to hear of a planned press conference with Mayor Singh and the family of Shawn Washington. Kaiser Permanente is proud to be part of Manteca and fully committed to meeting the health care needs of the community today and well into the future."