Fresno’s downtown Community Regional Medical Center has now opened their 50 bed alternate care site to address increased patient loads resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medical personnel including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals contracted from private staffing company AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, worked for over a week to get the site up and running.  The team will ultimately total 31 people.

Fresno County EMS Director Dan Lynch told reporters during a briefing last week that once the population of the temporary wing reaches 45 patients, it would trigger the activation of the Fresno Convention Center as additional treatment space for non-critical care. Staff from the private company would also staff the convention center site, he said.

GV Wire℠ was able to ask CRMC several questions about how this additional bed space will help with the current surge of the pandemic.

Q&A With CRMC

GV Wire℠: “How many patients are now being seen in the new alternative care site in the North Medical Plaza building?”

CRMC: “15 patients at the moment but expecting more as the surge continues.”

GV Wire℠: “What are the advantages to your staff of having this site in close proximity to the main hospital?”

CRMC: “With the county and Community Medical Centers partnering at this site, we are able to increase the acuity and complexity of the patients we can treat there rather than at an off-campus site. Also it allows the county and Community to share resources, which benefits the patients.”

GV Wire℠:  “How much of a relief is this providing CRMC in the way of alleviating stress on the rest of the hospital so more focus can be placed on ICU patients battling COVID-19 and other symptoms?”

CRMC: “Because of the shared resources between Community and the county, this site provides not only Community with more resources but other area hospitals as well.”