Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe, which is in Chapter 9 bankruptcy and under county control, on Friday added emergency department doctors through a new partnership with local medical group.
Vituity, a physicians group that serves Riverside University Health System, is now providing the hospital’s emergency department with access to 26 doctors trained in emergency medicine.
Dr. Michael Mesisca, interim medical director at Palo Verde Hospital and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Riverside University Health System, reported on the move at the Palo Verde Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting Wednesday. He said the staff, physicians and area residents have been “tremendously positive” with an “overwhelming sense of appreciation and gratitude,” according to hospital officials.
Vituity started providing emergency medical care at the hospital May 1. The physicians group supports 24/7 emergency department operations at Palo Verde Hospital, including patient triage, stabilization, trauma response, transfer coordination for critically ill patients and ongoing collaboration with hospital staff to maintain continuity of care.
“We recognize that hospitals are critical to the vibrancy and success of any community,” said Mesisca, who has personally cared for patients at the hospital. “When people have emergencies, they need to see a doctor and time matters. We had physicians commit to coming to Palo Verde Hospital. They all share a belief in the standard we set of compassionate care and listening to nursing staff.”
Hospital officials described the facility as “a rural critical access hospital” that “plays a central role in delivering immediate care to residents of the Palo Verde Valley and in stabilizing and expediting transfers when a higher level of care is needed.”
In the weeks since the county’s financial rescue, hospital staff have observed measurable improvements in wait times and overall patient experience in the emergency department. In March, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors OK’d a $3.44 million payment from the General Fund to the California Department of Health Care Services on behalf of the Palo Verde Healthcare District. The board previously approved a $1 million loan to prevent the emergency department from closing.
“Access to emergency medical care is not optional for rural communities like the Palo Verde Valley,” 4th District county Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a statement. “This partnership strengthens the hospital’s ability to provide timely, high-quality emergency services close to home and reflects the commitment of everyone working to stabilize and support Palo Verde Hospital for the long term.”
The hospital is operating under a 180-day agreement between the Palo Verde Healthcare District and the county. Under the agreement, Riverside University Health System leadership provides temporary operational support for the emergency room, the clinic and all supporting departments.
The agreement with the Vituity physicians group is effective through June 30, 2027.
“Riverside University Health System amended its agreement with Vituity to allow for provision of emergency department services at Palo Verde Hospital in an expedited manner,” according to hospital officials. “The Palo Verde Healthcare District will have an opportunity to negotiate a direct successor agreement with Vituity for long-term continuity.”
Earlier this month the hospital announced the emergency room would start carrying Narcan, a medication to help prevent drug overdoses.