Press Releases: Southern California
March 31, 2009
Kaiser Permanente Opens Replacement Flagship Hospital in Los Angeles
Facility features leading technology and service enhancements to ensure optimum care decades into the future
PASADENA, Calif. — Kaiser Permanente opened a new state-of-the-art hospital next to its existing flagship Los Angeles Medical Center that has served the metro area and beyond for over 50 years. The $600 million, 400-bed replacement facility on Sunset Boulevard includes the most advanced medical technologies and patient-friendly features to optimize the healing process.
The world has changed significantly since the original LAMC opened in 1953, a year that saw the introduction of the first color TV set, the end of the Korean War, the discovery of DNA, the announcement of the polio vaccine, and the opening of the four-level freeway interchange near downtown Los Angeles.
“Amidst the change and passage of decades has been a constant: Our commitment to providing quality immediate and preventive care for our members,” said Mark E. Costa, the executive director of LAMC. “The demand for our services has necessitated the building of this 792,000 square-foot hospital, which will make it the largest Kaiser Permanente facility in the United States. We are now positioned to continue delivering outstanding medical care and to help generations thrive in the future.”
Advanced technological features include digital radiology, operating rooms equipped with high-definition cameras, and Kaiser Permanente’s industry-leading electronic health record system called Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect™. (KP HealthConnect eliminates the need for hard copy patient charts and film and is the largest privately held EHR system in the nation.)
The seven-story facility meets stringent state seismic requirements which will allow LAMC to continue providing its services to the surrounding communities in the event of an earthquake. More than 85 percent of the hospital beds are in family-friendly private rooms featuring pull-out beds for overnight stays. LAMC Medical Director, Donald H. Marcus, MD, said, “This new hospital features abundant use of natural light, scenic views, a Labor and Delivery Center with spacious private birthing and recovery rooms, a lovely healing garden, a pediatric play area, and other components that collectively create a wonderful environment.”
In addition to serving Kaiser Permanente members in the immediate area, LAMC serves as a tertiary care center for members throughout Southern California and beyond. “The most serious medical cases are sent to LAMC because of its expertise in multiple specialties,” said Judy A. North, LAMC medical group administrator. “For example, its cardiac care program is renowned and one of the nation’s largest, performing nearly 900 coronary bypass surgeries and more than 300 heart valve surgeries each year.”
The investment in LAMC is part of the continuing evolution of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California and nationally. In the last several years, the organization has committed billions of dollars to upgrade its many facilities and service-delivery components. “This investment has led to documented progress,” said Dr. Jeffrey A. Weisz, executive medical director of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. “For example, this year, the State of California rated Kaiser Permanente with four stars in its annual Healthcare Quality Report Card, marking the first time the state has given any HMO the maximum four-star rating.”
Dr. Benjamin Chu, president of Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said, “Our members come first. They deserve the best healthcare, and we are making sure they get it today and in the future. Our investment in the region continues with this grand opening of our flagship Los Angeles Medical Center. With each opening like this one, more people are taking notice of the strength of Kaiser Permanente's integrated health care system and viewing it as a national health care model.”
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 kp.org.
