By SARH

Upland–San Antonio Regional Hospital is raving about with the opening of its new 52-bed Emergency Department and 92-bed patient tower earlier this year. The hospital’s new Vineyard Tower not only provides the latest medical technology and advanced care delivery systems; it offers patients and their families the comfort and convenience of private accommodations. Each patient room has been specifically designed to create a calm and healing environment for patients and their loved ones, while also providing the healthcare team with immediate access to the essential medical equipment and supplies needed to provide exceptional care.

The completion of the hospital’s $160 million expansion project could not have come at a better time. Emergency rooms throughout the Inland Empire have faced challenges in recent years as the demand for medical services continues to grow. Over the last decade, the population in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties has grown rapidly, outpacing state averages and increasing the need for a number of healthcare services, including emergency and hospital care. More recently, the demand has been fueled by the Affordable Care Act, which expanded coverage for previously uninsured residents, placing additional pressure on the already stretched emergency medical system serving the Inland Empire. “San Antonio Regional Hospital’s” Emergency Department, which has nearly tripled in size, has helped to ease this burden by adding additional capacity at the height of the flu season,” stated Kevin Parkes, M.D., President of Mountain View Emergency Physicians Medical Group, Inc. “The Vineyard Tower’s additional beds with heart monitoring capabilities, along with the third critical care unit, has also helped free up emergency treatment rooms by allowing patients who require admission to the hospital to be moved into their private room as quickly as possible.” Combined with the rooms in the hospital’s existing Citrus Tower, San Antonio Regional Hospital’s total bed capacity has grown from 271 to 363.

The first floor of the new tower includes the hospital’s main lobby, reception, gift shop, coffee bistro, and art gallery. The second floor is dedicated to the Emergency Department, which houses 52 private treatment rooms, including three rooms that are equipped for major procedures. Imaging equipment is now located in the Emergency Department, eliminating the need to transport patients to other areas of the hospital for X-rays, ultrasounds, or CT scans. The third floor houses a 12-bed intensive care unit and 32 telemetry beds for patients in critical condition needing constant monitoring and care. The fourth floor has 48 medical/surgical beds, including an orthopedic unit with a rehabilitative gym.

The expansion was the largest in the hospital’s 109 year history and was carefully designed and constructed to bring residents the very best hospital experience, with modern amenities, state-of-the-art equipment, and streamlined processes for managing patient care.

“While extraordinary attention to detail was employed throughout the planning and execution of our new Vineyard Tower, the hospital’s legacy is not defined solely by providing state-of-the-art facilities and the latest in medical technology; it also encompasses the caring team of professionals who have devoted their lives to providing excellence with compassion for the people we serve,” stated Harris F. Koenig, President and CEO of San Antonio Regional Hospital.

For more than 100 years, San Antonio Regional Hospital has offered advanced medical care for residents throughout the Inland Empire region. The hospital offers a full range of medical, obstetrical, and surgical services, including open heart, vascular, neurosurgery and urgent care. The hospital treats more than 200,000 patients each year, and is one of the busiest paramedic receiving centers in San Bernardino County. San Antonio has a strong history and reputation for quality care with a personal touch.

The hospital is located at 999 San Bernardino Road, Upland.