Health & Fitness
Low Staffing At Valley Medical Center Ups Wait Times, Workers Say
Workers at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center are raising concerns about a staffing shortage they say is increasing wait times for patients.
SAN JOSE, CA — Some workers at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center will gather Tuesday outside the hospital's emergency room in San Jose to share their concerns about a staffing shortage that is leading to increased wait times for patients, according to a union that represents the workers.
Workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 521 will meet at noon at the emergency room's main entrance at 751 S. Bascom Ave.
"Having to wait in the ER for over 16 to 18 hours before being able to transfer to any unit including ICU is unacceptable," Ruth Compus, a medical unit clerk at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, said in a statement.
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Santa Clara County supervisors need to take action, union officials said.
The workers say wait times have increased at hospitals in nearby counties, too.
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The labor contract between the county and union expired eight months ago and union officials said the county's bargaining team keeps delaying a possible settlement, jeopardizing patients' health.
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