In a first for Manteca, an elected official is criticizing a healthcare organization for failing to keep up with growth and in turn potentially putting patient health at risk.

Mayor Gary Singh is appearing Sunday at 2 p.m. at a press conference to pressure Kaiser Permanente to expand its Manteca medical facilities.

Singh also wants more services at the Kaiser Manteca Hospital to avoid the need to transfer many patients to medical facilities in Modesto and Stockton.

Organizers of the press conference contend Kaiser’s “lack of infrastructure” is resulting in “substandard care” at the Manteca hospital.

 “It’s not acceptable,” Singh said of Kaiser failing to keep pace with the community’s growth.

Similar complaints have been voiced about Kaiser’s Tracy facilities.

Altogether, the South County population is closing in on a quarter of a million people.

It is also home to four of the state’s 15 fastest growing communities — Manteca, Lathrop, Tracy and Mountain House. All four are posed to continue growing.

“I would like to bring to the attention of Kaiser the effects of understaffing, overworked staff, and the lack of infrastructure and need for growth of our hospitals for our growing city,” Singh said.

“It is very important that our health system does not stay behind for our residents as the well-being and safety of our residents is top priority. I encourage Kaiser to look at expanding their facilities so proper care is provided in Manteca without long wait times in ER plus the ability to get routine doctor’s appointments.”

Singh noted Kaiser has ample space on their East Yosemite Avenue campus to expand.

Kaiser Permanente is the largest private sector healthcare provider in San Joaquin County.

Statewide, 1 out of 4 Californians or 9.4 million people are Kaiser members.

The healthcare system has 36 hospitals in the state, including one in Manteca, that have 8,808 beds overall.

“It is also important to get these services in Manteca so patients do not have to incur the cost and waiting times to be transferred out of the city for basic needs and ailments,” Singh said. (“Kaiser needs to) look at expanding the facilities and staff for the well-being of our city. “

The press conference has been arranged by the Concerned Parents Alliance Non-Profit as well as the Change4Shawb Non-Profit.

Speaking besides Singh is Kaiser employee Debru Jackson as well as the family of Shawn Washington II.

The two local organizations — Change4Shawn and  Concerned Parents Alliance — are committed to “applying pressure and holding Kaiser Manteca accountable to ensure that every Manteca who utilizes this facility is provided quality care at all times despite your race, socio-economic, ethnicity or insurance status.”

According to the Change4Shawn website, Shawn Edward Washington II, was a 29 year old father to be who lost his life on April 26, 2019 due to “medical negligence and systemic racism” at Kaiser.

Singh, while he sympathizes with the group’s effort, said he is steering clear of commenting on issues surrounding Washington’s death.

Instead, he is focusing on trying to convince Kaiser to expand its “sustainably growth impacted” services. Singh indicated Kaiser so far has rebuffed efforts for the health organization to step up service levels in Manteca to match local and nearby growth.

The Kaiser hospital in Manteca is between 20 and 40 minutes closer for Kaiser members in Tracy and Mountain House to reach than a Kaiser hospital in Modesto and an affiliated hospital in Stockon.

It’s been more than two decades since the medical offices opened in Manteca after Kaiser purchased adjoining St. Dominic’s Hospital.

Since then, Manteca’s has grown by almost 40,000 to the cusp of 90,000 residents.

Neighboring Lathrop has grown from 11,011 residents in 2000 to 35,080 today.

Singh noted that Doctors Hospital — Manteca’s other hospital that is owned by Tenet Healthcare — is continuing to expand its services and affiliated medical offices

The mayor said while Doctors Hospital had to shutter its maternity services due to declining demand and difficulty obtaining skey staffing, it has an ongoing track record of making significant investments in the community and is on the process of adding more medical offices to attract new physicians.

Singh said as an elected official he feels morally obligated to speak out that Kaiser — as the leading medical care provider in Manteca — has not been keeping up with growth.

As a result, Singh believes it is jeopardizing the level of heath care service available in the city.

The press conference comes on the heels of recent strikes from nurses who say they are :shining a light on what families are experiencing directly.”

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com