The County of Santa Clara has agreed to purchase the Regional Medical Center (RMC). This acquisition would not have been possible without the work of a coalition of organizations, including Latinas Contra Cancer, Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment, Working Partnerships, the Si Se Puede Collection, and many others. Together, we organized rallies, press conferences, a symbolic funeral procession, and a car caravan from RMC to HCA’s Good Samaritan Hospital in order to protect life-saving healthcare services for our community.
While we celebrate the removal of the HCA corporate healthcare model from East Side San Jose, we must also address the harm it has inflicted on our healthcare system:
- Loss of Trust: HCA’s mismanagement has severely undermined community confidence in Regional Hospital. After years of neglect, including the closure of key services like the maternity ward and trauma center, residents are now reluctant to bring their loved ones to the facility for care.
- Setbacks to Community Health: HCA has forced the County to purchase Regional Hospital and sets back the County’s investment in the Latinx Health and Wellness Center. The purchase puts this vital clinic’s funding and timeline in jeopardy.
- Disruption of Community Trust: HCA has impacted community services, organizing efforts, and development since the community had to focus on fighting HCA’s proposed cuts in services.
- Lack of Accountability: Throughout this entire struggle, HCA has consistently refused to meet with the community to address the consequences of their actions. This lack of accountability extends beyond Regional Hospital to similar service cuts and disinvestment at Good Samaritan Hospital, for which HCA must also be held responsible.
For these reasons, the community is demanding that HCA provide millions of dollars in a Community Reparations Package to address the damage done to our community’s health ecosystem. It is unacceptable for a billion-dollar corporation to cause such harm without consequences and accountability.
Our demands include:
- HCA must meets with the community to negotiate a Community Reparations Package. This sum will include money for the community to invest in running a media campaign to repair Regional Hospital’s reputation and the County’s proposed restoration of services. Money will also be used to pay community Promotoras for door-to-door outreach to repair damages done.
- HCA must ensure that the Latinx Health and Wellness Center is fully funded and on track.
- HCA must compensate the community for the resources and efforts that were diverted due to the fight against their proposed service cuts.