Getting patient care in the Valley gets easier

Monday, February 5, 2018
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Valley Children's Hospital is growing with a focus on patient care. Valley Children's CEO, Todd Suntrapak, says plans are now coming to life.

"About five or six years ago our board gave direction that we would be within 30 minutes or 30 miles of every family in the Valley."

In Bakersfield, the Eagle Oaks Speciality Care Center is coming together. The 52,000 square foot facility will have Valley Children's subspecialists in Kern County, so those patients can be seen closer to home.

At Community Regional Medical Center, the downtown campus is going up. A 180,000 square foot, five-story medical office building has been built for pediatricians and pediatric staff. New parking garages have also been constructed -- the Clovis facility is also building a cancer care facility.

The hospital says it continues to see a growing number of hospital visits and especially emergency room visits.

St. Agnes is partnering up with an oncology group to provide more care. C-Care at St. Agnes is a 65,000 square foot facility will provide outpatient care for those going through cancer.

C-Care is a private oncology practice that serves the Valley. They have treated 18,000 patients and say they are serving a growing need.

Troy Simon, CEO of California Cancer Associates Research & Excellence (C-Care) said, "We do a lot of clinical trials and research too, so we provide alot of cutting-edge treatments to patients so they don't have to travel outside of the area."

At Madera Community Hospital, outpatient center improvements have brought in new technology due to patient needs.

"The investment you see from Modesto to Bakersfield, over to the Central Coast is all about creating a network that will keep kids well more of the time," Suntrapak said.

Valley Children's says for them growth in towns like Fowler and Clovis, mean more access for patients -- filling a need here in the Valley.
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