How changes to Regional Medical Center’s trauma care heavily impacted health services in Santa Clara County

In the months before Regional Medical Center downgraded its trauma services last year, fewer patients were coming through the East San Jose hospital’s doors with life-threatening injuries from car crashes, stabbings and shootings. But on the other side of the city, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s volume of trauma cases surged — rising roughly 33% from 2023 to 2024, a Bay Area News Group analysis found.

The data illustrates the strain HCA Healthcare’s controversial decision to remove...