Tenet Healthcare: Committed to the Coachella Valley
We all know claims get made during elections that do not subsequently hold up under a bright light. Here in the Coachella Valley, many residents will vote on Nov. 4 for directors at the Desert Healthcare District. As a proud member of the Desert Regional Medical Center governing board, I would like to set the record straight about Tenet Healthcare’s 17-year tenure as the district’s appointed hospital administrator.
At its core, Desert Regional provides the highest level of quality health care services to valley residents, including our only designated trauma center and the only neonatal intensive care unit. These designations mean that many of the most critically ill and injured individuals are brought to our hospital to be treated. These are highly resource-intensive, expensive medical services, yet they offer residents the reassurance of knowing that life-saving care is readily available right here in our community 24 hours a day.
Tenet’s commitment to Desert Regional is undeniable with capital investments totaling $128 million since it began operating the hospital in 1997. Major projects include the renovation of the pediatrics unit, the creation of a Joint & Spine Pavilion and a new telemetry unit in the East Tower, and an array of state-of-the-art technology to ensure the hospital continues to provide cutting-edge care. Desert Regional recently added a new $5 million biplane angiography suite to treat stroke patients and a $5 million robotic navigation system to treat atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders.
Under Tenet, Desert Regional has expanded its commitment to the community by generously supporting local nonprofit organizations that play a key role in the health and well-being of the Coachella Valley. The long list of charitable organizations includes the Desert Cancer Foundation, Mizell Senior Center, local American Heart and American Diabetes Association chapters, the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership and, closest to my own heart, Desert Arc. Tenet most recently pledged $1.5 million over three years to Desert AIDS Project to support the Get Tested Coachella Valley public health campaign.
Tenet also is an economic engine for the Coachella Valley. Last year, Desert Regional re-invested more than $3 million back into our communities through local property and sales taxes, and provided salaries, wages and benefits of $173 million last year for our 1,800 employees. Tenet’s successful management of the hospital has allowed the Desert Healthcare District to use its resources to tackle continuing health issues in our community.
For instance, Desert Regional, the district and UCR School of Medicine are collaborating to address the primary-care physician shortage in our area by creating a new residency program to train family doctors. Seven faculty physicians now provide direct patient care and will train the next generation of physicians who will start to arrive in the summer of 2015.
Looking ahead, Tenet remains committed to its stewardship of Desert Regional while providing high quality health care to every patient. The hospital has fully complied with the state’s seismic laws, and we continue to work on a master plan to address both future seismic deadlines and potential areas to expand services further. Work by a design firm specializing in health care construction in California is already under way, developing plans for possible retrofit work and hospital expansion. I am proud to be associated with Desert Regional and I applaud Tenet’s unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community.
Mitch Blumberg is deputy executive director of Desert Arc, which since 1959 has provided much-needed vocational training and employment opportunities, along with social and recreational activities for 600 adults with developmental disabilities in the Coachella Valley.