Kaiser Permanente Opens New Hospital In Panorama City, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 26 Mar 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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A new era in healthcare begins in the San Fernando Valley as Kaiser Permanente opens the doors to its new $280 million hospital in Panorama City. Patients in beds and wheelchairs, with an entourage of doctors and nurses, will make the move from Kaiser Permanente's original hospital, which opened in 1962, through a concourse that connects to the new state-of-the-art hospital. This is the first full-service hospital to open in the San Fernando Valley in 14 years.

The new hospital is designed for the comfort of patients and their families with more private rooms, larger waiting areas, and advanced technology. Patient rooms contain flat screen televisions and sleeper chairs for overnight guests. These elements will enhance the patient experience and welcome loved ones who are important in the healing process.

The 400,000-square-foot hospital includes an electronic medical records system, KP Health Connect, accessible by computers in every patient room and at nurses' stations. Also in the new facility is a digital system for MRI's, CT scans and other diagnostic imaging, and 10 operating rooms with high-definition cameras to assist highly skilled surgical teams.

The hospital's labor and delivery department spans an entire floor of the new hospital with 13 labor and delivery suites and a 24-bed level 3B neonatal intensive care unit.

"We're happy to provide this new hospital for our members who live in the area as well as the community. In this beautiful new facility we will provide high-quality care using the latest technology available," says Dennis Benton, Panorama City Hospital Executive Director.

The hospital is designed to inspire wellness, comfort and healing. Natural light and sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley are brought inside by hundreds of windows specially designed to filter out harsh UV rays. Walls in the facility are adorned with beautiful works of local artists and soothing palates of color.

The new Panorama City hospital is one of 11 new facilities being constructed by Kaiser Permanente in the next five years as part of a $4 billion investment in the future health of members in Southern California.

Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit health maintenance organization serving more than 6.1 million members throughout the state of California. In Southern California, Kaiser Permanente's 3.3 million members are served by more than 6,000 physicians and nearly 50,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers at 12 major medical centers throughout the region. Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center Area has been providing health care to area residents of the East San Fernando Valley since 1962 and employs nearly 4,000 staff and physicians.

Kaiser Permanente