From the medical office waiting rooms, visitors might think they’re looking out at the lush foliage of a rainforest instead of a courtyard atrium. Welcome to Kaiser Permanente’s new Pasadena Medical Office Building.
“The eco-friendly design and construction demonstrate our commitment to wellness, healing, and the environment,” says Jimmy Wannares, manager of the Pasadena facility. “We’re also excited about being able to provide several new services that we know will improve the entire care experience for our members.”
Conveniently located at 3280 East Foothill Boulevard, on the corner of Sierra Madre Villa Avenue, the location is ideal because it will continue to serve the health care needs of the members who have been going to their physicians at the Lake street site, as well as accommodate six new physicians ready to welcome new members living in the Baldwin Park area. The facility is easily accessed from both the 210 freeway and the Metro Gold Line.
The total staff of more than 150 physicians, medical specialists and support personnel will provide family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, podiatry, allergy immunotherapy, internal medicine, dermatology, pediatrics, sports medicine, a walk-in nurse clinic, and state of the art laboratory and pharmacy. The services will be complemented with the latest technologies for bone density scanning, digital imaging radiology (x-ray), and mammography screenings.
“Everything at this facility is brand new,” says Jo-Dee Becker, capital projects team manager for Kaiser Permanente’s national facilities services in Southern California. “It has a beautiful atrium open to the sky, and all the waiting areas are open to a canopy of trees.” Completing the design team is general contractor Hamilton Construction, and HMC Architects for architecture and interior design.
The medical offices also boast an eco-friendly design and construction that demonstrates Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to the environment and to the community. Automated mechanical control systems change temperature throughout the day, adjusting based on occupancy. Natural light in the central lobby reduces the need for artificial light. Automatic light shut-off switches and fluorescent light fixtures decrease the energy usage throughout the building. Flooring consists of non-PVC backed carpet as well as rubber flooring that includes recycled material and requires no compounds or cleaners for daily maintenance. The products also contribute to the internal air quality; they don’t hold dust or other allergens and help prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.
Being able to get lab results, immunizations records, and email your physician from home are all access features that are appealing to Kaiser Permanente members. And if a member does travel away from their favorite physician and Pasadena medical offices, they can be assured that no matter which Kaiser Permanente facility they visit – from Kern County to San Diego – all physicians, nurses, and other caregivers will have access to all their prescription and other medical information, thanks to Kaiser Permanente’s new electronic health record system, KP HealthConnect. When they travel outside Southern California, they will have access to their Personal Health Record, on kp.org, through an internet connection from anywhere in the world. Adds Wannares: “Pasadena and Baldwin Park members do indeed have a lot to celebrate.”
ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE
Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation’s leading integrated health plans. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region includes more than 55,800 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,400 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at www.kaiserpermanente.org.
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