AB 2282 is a narrowly tailored bill that allows a single emergency stabilization facility in Patterson to improve rural emergency access while continuing to rely on regional hospitals for inpatient and specialty care.

A Rural Emergency Care Solution for Patterson and the West Side of Stanislaus County

Del Puerto Health Care District is sponsoring AB 2282 (Alanis), legislation that would help rural communities like Patterson improve access to emergency medical care.

Today, many residents on the west side of Stanislaus County must travel a long distance to reach a hospital emergency department. At the same time, ambulance crews can be tied up for extended periods on a single transport, leaving fewer units available for the next emergency. Patterson’s population is growing, but local access to emergency and specialty care has not kept pace. DPHCD’s healthcare campus planning is built around the need to bring more care closer to home as our community grows.

AB 2282 would create a path for a licensed emergency stabilization facility inPatterson that does not have timely local access to hospital emergency departments. An emergency stabilization facility would provide immediate emergency care close to home, stabilize patients, and transfer those who need surgery, hospital admission, or specialty services to a hospital for the next level of care.

What AB 2282 Would Do

AB 2282 would allow a rural community like Patterson to pursue a local emergency care model designed to:

• provide 24/7 emergency stabilization services
• reduce delays in receiving emergency care
• support ambulance availability in the community
• strengthen rural health access without replacing hospitals

This is not about replacing hospitals. It is about giving patients access to immediate emergency treatment sooner, then transferring them to a hospital when inpatient or specialty care is needed.

National policy research on freestanding emergency models describes facilities that provide emergency care, imaging, and on-site lab services, while transferring patients who need inpatient rooms or operating rooms to hospitals.

Why Patterson Needs This

Patterson and surrounding communities are growing quickly. DPHCD’s planning documents show that the healthcare campus is intended to serve current residents and a rapidly expanding future population across Patterson and the west side of Stanislaus County.

The District’s healthcare campus has been planned in phases to respond to the most urgent needs first, beginning with the ambulance operations center and community mental health clinic, while preserving space for future hospital and urgent or emergency care services.

AB 2282 supports that long-term vision by helping create a realistic rural emergency access solution now.

How This Would Help Patients

A local emergency stabilization facility could help:

• Faster emergency care - Residents could receive emergency evaluation and treatment closer to home instead of waiting for long-distance transport before receiving care.
• Better ambulance availability - When ambulances are tied up on long transports, fewer units are available in the community. A local stabilization site could help crews return to service sooner.
• Stronger rural healthcare access - Rural communities often face gaps in emergency care. This bill would help address those gaps in a way that fits the realities of rural geography and distance.

How This Would Help EMS

For paramedics and EMTs, long transport times do not just affect operations. They affect crew fatigue, workload, and emergency coverage for the next call.

A local stabilization facility could help reduce the amount of time ambulance crews spend out of service on one transport and improve the ability of EMS to respond to the next emergency. That means a stronger emergency response system for both patients and first responders.

How This Fits with DPHCD’s Mission

Del Puerto Health Care District exists to provide, promote, and partner in quality health care for our community. The District’s healthcare campus is being developed because Patterson’s growth demands expanded local access to care, including emergency, specialty, and behavioral health services.

AB 2282 is consistent with that mission. It is a practical step toward improving emergency access for a growing rural community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would this replace a hospital? No. Patients who need surgery, inpatient care, or specialty services would still be transferred to a hospital.

Would this replace ambulance services? No. Ambulance services would remain essential. In fact, this model could improve ambulance availability by reducing long out-of-area transport times.

Is this part of the DPHCD healthcare campus vision? Yes. DPHCD’s planning documents reserve space for expanded future care and are based on the need to improve healthcare access locally as Patterson grows.

Why not just rely on existing hospitals? For many local residents, existing hospitals are too far away to provide timely local access in an emergency. Rural communities need solutions that address distance, response time, and ambulance availability.

Support Better Emergency Access for Rural Communities

DPHCD believes Patterson and the west side of Stanislaus County deserve better access to emergency care close to home.

AB 2282 (Alanis) is about rural eme​​rgency access, faster stabilization, and stronger support for patients, paramedics, EMTs, and the growing communities we serve.

Stay Connected

To learn more about DPHCD’s healthcare campus and future services, visit our healthcare campus information pages and sign up for updates ( button on the lower right-hand corner of this page). Community engagement remains a core part of DPHCD’s planning process.