John Muir Outpatient Center Opening Next Year

By Zoe Francis, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Coordinated Care in a Convenient Location

Healthcare in the Tri-Valley is going to get a substantial boost next year when the brand-new Pleasanton Outpatient Center opens its doors in Hacienda.

The center is a joint venture by John Muir Health and the San Ramon Regional Medical Center. The two have been partners since May 2013 when John Muir bought 49 percent of San Ramon Regional, which is owned by Tenet Healthcare.

"This center will offer Pleasanton, Dublin and even Livermore residents more access to healthcare," Paul Smith, acting CEO of the joint venture, said. "The goal is more choice, high-quality care and coordination of services."

The two entities bought an existing building for $19 million at 5860 Owens Drive. The 92,000 square foot facility is conveniently located within walking distance of BART and has ample on-site parking.

The center will house several physicians covering multiple specialties. The site will also have an urgent care center, lab and imaging services, such as X-rays and mammograms. Beyond that, the exact services to be offered are still being determined.

"We're going to talk to physicians and get their perspective on what services would be helpful in that type of setting," Smith explained. "We anticipate incorporating what the physicians tell us we need or what's missing in the market."

John Muir's successful new Walnut Creek Outpatient Center, which opened in January, will be a helpful model when deciding what type of physicians and which services will be located in Pleasanton.

A center with multiple doctors and services is "convenient for patients, as opposed to running back and forth between different locations," Smith noted. "Having physicians of the same or different specialties located together and seeing each other helps with communication between the specialties and within the specialties. It's easier to have a discussion about a patient when you're face to face."

The Hacienda site was chosen for its proximity to a burgeoning population in need of high-quality healthcare options.

"It will be convenient for Dublin and Pleasanton residents and physicians, as well as Livermore," Smith said. "Pleasanton and Dublin have a very favorable population in that it is growing. There is opportunity to expand access there. Also, the specific Hacienda location has an accessible location proximate to the BART station. It seemed to address a lot of the needs we were looking for."

The new outpatient center will be accessible to everyone, meaning that Tri-Valley residents will get an expanded selection of doctors and medical services. The center will draw physicians who already practice in this area, but will also recruit new doctors.

The new facility is slated to open in early 2015.

"The community will have another choice for high-quality, affordable and coordinated care in a really convenient location that's close to home," Smith said. "There's a lot of work to be done, but we're excited to be a part of that community."

For more information, visit johnmuirhealth.com and sanramonmedctr.com.

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