Press Releases: Georgia
December 4, 2007
Kaiser Permanente Opens 15th Medical Facility in Georgia
Stonecrest Medical Center will serve an estimated 15,000–20,000 members
ATLANTA –Kaiser Permanente opened its 15th medical center this week, to accommodate its growing membership in DeKalb County and surrounding areas. An official ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the new Stonecrest Medical Center will be held Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007, at 8 a.m. During the ceremony, which will feature presentations from several local dignitaries, Kaiser Permanente will present a $10,000 Good Neighbor Grant to South DeKalb Healthy Living Center.
The 19,000 square-foot facility–which represents a $6.5 million investment in the community–is the health plan’s third facility in Georgia built using an environmentally-conscious "green design," which helps conserve energy as well as reduce indoor air quality problems and exposure to hazardous materials.
Conveniently located off I-20 in Lithonia at 8011 Mall Parkway, the medical center provides convenient access to health care for people who live and work in DeKalb County and the surrounding areas. In Dekalb County, the health plan currently operates the Panola Medical Center off I-20 in Hillandale and the Crescent Medical Center off I-285 in Tucker.
"When we reviewed demographics to determine where we needed to expand, we saw great opportunity in DeKalb County," said Steve Beauford, medical center administrator at the new location. "Many residents have told us our new center will be a welcome addition to the community because of its convenient location."
Kaiser Permanente is initially staffing the state-of-the-art facility with three full-time physicians supported by a team of clinical and administrative personnel. Health care services offered include adult medicine, pediatrics/adolescent medicine, gynecology, onsite pharmacy, and limited lab and radiology services. Behavioral health services will be available in January, 2008. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The facility is part of a $35 million expansion plan to increase access for Kaiser Permanente’s members and prospective members. In February 2007, Kaiser Permanente opened its West Cobb Medical Center, and in November the health plan opened Sugar Hill-Buford Medical Center in Northwest Gwinnett County.
Kaiser Permanente is the state of Georgia's largest nonprofit health plan, serving the health care needs of Atlanta metro area residents for 22 years. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. currently provides comprehensive health care services to approximately 275,000 members through 15 medical facilities in a 28-county service, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The Health Plan provided more than $5 million in community benefit programs and services.