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Physicians and medical staff tell Alameda County supervisors cuts threaten Level‑1 trauma services and patient safety
Summary
A coalition of 332 clinicians and multiple frontline doctors told the Board of Supervisors that AHS’s proposed staffing and program reductions risk the county’s only Level‑1 trauma center, citing gaps in vascular surgery, anesthesia and lab staffing; the medical executive committee asked the Board to strengthen oversight.
A large contingent of Alameda Health System physicians and frontline clinicians on Feb. 25 told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors that proposed program reductions and staffing changes risked patient safety and threatened the county’s Level‑1 trauma and other critical services.
Physicians testified to specific clinical vulnerabilities. Dr. Benny Liu, interim division chief of gastroenterology, said the system lacked consistent vascular surgery and anesthesia coverage, which he said threatens trauma and time‑sensitive cardiac care. Dr. Caitlin Bailey, medical director of the Highland Hospital emergency department, warned that attrition, hiring freezes and failure to backfill critical positions could make it impossible to staff 24/7 services required for a trauma…
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