Reinhardt family contributes to Clovis expansion

Walt Reinhardt is passionate about health care in Clovis – and he’s turning the passion into action as Clovis Community Medical Center embarks on its lofty growth plans.

The Reinhardt family made a $150,000 pledge to Clovis Community to support emergency department expansion. Walt Reinhardt, founder of Reinhardt Insurance, is also spearheading efforts to generate public support for expansion by chairing the Clovis Community Development Council, a team of volunteers and local leadership who serve as advocates for the hospital in its mission to raise awareness of the projects.

Ground was broken in September on Phase 1 of the two-part project for a $20 million, 22,500-square-foot expansion of the outpatient care center.

“I remember when the Clovis hospital was built 20 years ago,” Reinhardt said. “I want to be a part of an event that will change the delivery of health care in this community forever, and I’m honored to chair this effort to see it become a reality. This expansion will nearly triple the size of this medical center, and I am pleased to help support the effort by making a gift from the Reinhardt family.”

The first floor will include an expanded Marjorie E. Radin Breast Care Center and a dedicated four-room endoscopy suite with exam rooms. The second floor will feature four new operating rooms and the most advanced (Level 3) in vitro fertilization center between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Clovis Community CEO Craig Castro said adding capacity and more top-notch equipment in Clovis is important considering the city is projected to see a population increase of 15,000 within the next five years and a 43% increase in the next two decades. Castro also expects the expansion to create up to 100 new jobs.

But Community Medical Centers is seeking private support in its campaign for Clovis Community expansion. The hospital’s 10- and 25-year master plans for the 117-acre campus call for later additions to the outpatient surgery center, more parking, a five-story bed tower within the next few years and another five-story bed tower in the future.

“While other medical facilities struggle to keep their doors open, Community is expanding,” said Katie Zenovich, director of fund development for Community Medical Foundation. “That wouldn’t be true without families like the Reinhardts who have been generous enough to give to a lasting cause.”

The nonprofit Community Medical Centers has done quite a bit of giving itself, providing nearly $137.1 million in uncompensated services to the medically underserved in fiscal year 2007-2008. Community has historically spent more on uncompensated community benefits than all other Fresno-area hospitals combined, and in some years nearly double their combined total.

This story was reported by Eddie Hughes. He can be reached at eddieh@communitymedical.org.