PASADENA – A grand opening and ribbon cutting of a new urgent care and primary care health center, CHAP/Del Mar Primary Care Clinic, is being held today from 1:00p.m.–2:30p.m. at 3160 E. Del Mar Boulevard in Pasadena, California. This new center, one of only three health centers in Pasadena, is opening thanks in part to L.A. Care Health Plan’s Dr. Robert Tranquada Health Care Safety Net Awards program. Roland Palencia, Community Benefits Director at L.A. Care Health Plan, is unveiling a donor plaque in honor of Dr. Robert Tranquada in recognition of his lifelong dedication to public health.
In response to the high need for access to care in the San Gabriel Valley, L.A. Care’s Board of Governors approved $500,000 in funding to Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP) to expand access to care via a Walk-in Wellness Center in a new structure. The Center will accommodate an urgent care and primary care clinic in partnership with the Huntington Memorial Foundation and the City of Pasadena to see an additional 20,000 patients a year. Once the construction is complete, this Center will be one of the only three clinics in Pasadena.
In total, L.A. Care’s Board of Governors awarded $4.1 million in 2007 to fund CHAP and 10 other community clinics in Los Angeles County.
Created by L.A. Care, the Dr. Robert E. Tranquada Health Care Safety Net Awards are intended to help community clinics in Los Angeles County invest in strategic infrastructure improvement projects that would help position clinics for long-term growth. Projects that qualify for support include upgrading or acquiring information technology, purchasing medical equipment, remodeling to accommodate new capacity, training staff on new technology or techniques, and the hiring of strategic consultants to help with long-term infrastructure planning.
The award is named after Dr. Robert E. Tranquada, a founding board member of L.A. Care. Dr. Tranquada has dedicated his life to public health. He helped establish and direct the Watts Health Center, which is now known as the Watts Health Foundation. Later, he served as the Medical Director of L.A. County+USC Medical Center. He was a member of the Christopher Commission and he chaired the Los Angeles County Task Force on Health Care Access. He has also served as Dean of Medicine at USC and Director of the Health Administration Program at the School of Public Administration. Although Dr. Tranquada retired in 1997, he continues to devote himself to public health, including serving on L.A. Care’s Board of Governors for over 10 years and as Board Chair for four years.
“Dr. Tranquada, who devoted his career to public health, understands very well that clinics often do not have resources to invest in infrastructure for long-term growth,” said Dr. Elaine Batchlor, Chief Medical Officer of L.A. Care Health Plan. “That is why L.A. Care’s Board of Governors decided to name the award after him.”
Winners of the Robert E. Tranquada, M.D. Health Care Safety Net Awards were selected through a competitive process. L.A. Care made public the request for proposals for the award on April 19, 2007. Proposals submitted were rigorously reviewed by a committee that included L.A. Care staff and stakeholders. The committee then presented the selected award finalists to L.A. Care’s Board of Governors for approval.
“Clinics are the last line of defense for the low-income and uninsured.” said Dr. Robert Tranquada, “By helping clinics invest in health care infrastructure for long-term growth, we are strengthening the health care safety net in Los Angeles County.”
The following 10 additional clinics have received grants from L.A. Care to implement the projects described:
- Arroyo Vista Family Health Center. Establish a digital radiology and mammography department to provide radiology screenings, mammography, ultrasound, and eye screening services in its Lincoln Heights facility.
- Central City Community Health Center. Renovate and expand clinical space to add exam rooms, additional area for case management, nurses' station, lab, and pharmacy functions.
- Clinica Msr. Oscar A. Romero. Expand and integrate services via a dedicated Women and Children's suite to provide prenatal, family planning, pediatric and case management services in the Pico Union/Westlake area.
- East Valley Community Health Center, Inc. Implement a dental electronic health records system for its West Covina dental clinic to track procedures, treatment plans, and clinical notes.
- Harbor Community Clinic. Expand services by renovating existing space and adding exam rooms and a mental health office in its Harbor City facility.
- JWCH Institute, Inc. Develop an electronic information system for health services to homeless persons to facilitate coordination of care among various providers.
- Korean Health Education, Information and Research Center. Establish a digital imaging center, in partnership with St. Vincent Medical Center. The center will be located in the mid-Wilshire area and will offer mammograms and other health screenings.
- Northeast Valley Health Corporation. Adoption and utilization of an electronic health record system, including ePrescription, eLab and imaging equipment.
- The Children's Clinic. Implement an electronic health records system to facilitate sharing of patient information between outpatient and inpatient services among all six Children’s Clinic sites in Long Beach.
- Valley Community Clinic. Establish a Comprehensive Adolescent Medical Program via renovation of dedicated space.
The Dr. Robert E. Tranquada Award is funded by L.A. Care’s Community Health Investment Fund (CHIF), which has provided $80 million in grants to strengthen the safety net, improve community and public health and expand health insurance coverage. For more information about CHIF or programs that have been funded by CHIF, please visit Grantmaking
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L.A. Care Health Plan (Local Initiative Health Authority of Los Angeles County) is a public entity and community-accountable health plan serving residents of Los Angeles County through a variety of programs including Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, L.A. Care’s Healthy Kids, and L.A. Care Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO SNP. L.A. Care is a leader in developing new programs through innovative partnerships designed to provide health coverage to vulnerable populations and to support the safety net. With over 800,000 members, L.A. Care is the nation’s largest public health plan.