Efforts by communities in the eastern San Gabriel Valley to get a trauma center for the fast-growing region have hit a roadblock after a hospital considering the idea concluded that it couldn't afford to provide the service.
The area, which includes Pomona, Diamond Bar, Walnut, Claremont and Glendora, has long been considered one of the most under-served regions in the county.
The decision leaves the 2 million residents of the San Gabriel Valley with one trauma center, Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, located on the western edge of the valley.
Huntington accepts only gravely ill patients, including those hurt in car accidents and by gunshots, from eight cities and one unincorporated area. Trauma patients in the valley's other 23 cities and numerous unincorporated county areas are taken by ambulance to County-USC Medical Center in Boyle Heights or by helicopter to a rotating list of trauma centers, among them Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.
Over the last few months, city leaders and officials from local fire and police departments have renewed efforts to get a trauma center, focusing on Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.
Those officials expressed frustration Thursday.
"There's such a compelling need, and so often it falls on deaf ears," said West Covina Police Chief Frank Wills. "We're the richest nation in the history of the world, but we can't provide quality medical care to our citizens. I'm surprised more people aren't outraged by it."
Wills said his department depends on trauma care services several times a week, with emergencies that include shooting victims and babies hurt in falls.
"Sometimes delays are significant," Wills said. "When life is in the balance, it's a matter of minutes."
Bart Brewer, assistant chief in charge of emergency services training for the West Covina Fire Department, agreed.
"We would love to have a trauma center, but unfortunately the trend is to go the other way," Brewer said. "Unfortunately, the trauma care service areas are covering a larger and larger area."
Officials have no hard data showing that the lack of nearby trauma care has resulted in more deaths or serious complications, but they believe opening a trauma care center in the East Valley would strongly benefit the community.
