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| Contact: Christine Hill: 612-873-5719 |
07/22/09 |
Hennepin County Medical Center breaks ground Wednesday on a new building that will replace a clinic on Lake Street that is too small for the number of patients they serve.
The project is part of a reinvestment in outdated facilities, funded by general obligation bonds, approved two years ago by the county board at the same time the board created a new governance model for the medical center.
“This new clinic facility is part of a critical reinvestment that Hennepin is making in primary care,” said Steve Sterner, MD. “Access to primary care providers and health care homes is a key component of health care reform in Minnesota and nationally, so this investment will allow Hennepin County Medical Center to both meet the health care needs of South Minneapolis and fully participate in efforts to reform health care delivery and to control costs.”
The current Family Medical Center on West Lake Street was originally designed to accommodate about 20,000 patient visits per year, but today the clinic sees nearly three times that many patients.
The new clinic will be located on the northern portion of a city block at 28th Street and Nicollet Avenue in the Whittier Neighborhood. The 60,000 square foot building will include a family medicine clinic, room for specialties including sports medicine and services that will meet the needs of current patients and area residents. The new facility also will have space for patient education and the Family Medicine residency program.
Patients and staff from the current clinic have been involved in planning and designing the new facility using Lean process improvement methodology to create a work environment that adds value in a setting that serves patients’ needs. The building will maximize sustainable design features and accessibility.
The clinic property will include parking under the building, neighborhood green space, and Hennepin is working with the City of Minneapolis and the Whittier Neighborhood to make the southern portion of the site available for future development.
Groundbreaking details
July 22
4 p.m. – staff will gather at Family Medical Center, 5 West Lake St., to walk to the site
4:30 p.m. – Groundbreaking
Participants will include Mike Opat, County Board chair, Arthur Gonzalez, Dr. P.H., CEO, Steve Sterner, MD, and other local officials
HCMC is a nationally recognized Level 1 Trauma Center with the largest emergency department in Minnesota. The comprehensive academic medical center and public teaching hospital includes a 469-bed acute care hospital and primary care and specialty clinics located in Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin County. For 13 years in a row, Hennepin has been listed in the US News list of America’s Best Hospitals.
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