August 7, 2023
Kaiser Permanente opens new medical center in San Marcos
The new medical center in San Diego County expands access and care for Kaiser Permanente members, with state-of-the-art technology and environmentally friendly design.
The Kaiser Permanente San Marcos Medical Center is certified as a LEED Platinum health care facility, a distinction achieved by only 3 hospitals in California.
After nearly 3 years of construction, the new Kaiser Permanente San Marcos Medical Center will open to patients on August 9. The 7-story, 433,000-square-foot facility expands access to award-winning health care for Kaiser Permanente’s 636,000 members in San Diego County.
Located in the heart of San Marcos, California, the new facility adds a third medical center in Kaiser Permanente’s San Diego service area, complementing San Diego Medical Center and Zion Medical Center. It also brings Kaiser Permanente’s number of hospitals in Southern California to 16.
“We are thrilled to add another new hospital to support our rapidly growing membership in north San Diego County,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, interim president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of Southern California and Hawaii. “San Marcos Medical Center brings our evidence-based medical care, delivered through a facility nationally recognized for its environmental stewardship. With leading-edge technology, our team of physicians, nurses, and staff are dedicated to delivering exceptional medical quality and care experience.”
Dedicated to an ‘unparalleled patient care experience’
“San Marcos Medical Center was designed from a patient-centered, holistic point of view,” said Ramin Davidoff, MD, executive medical director of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group and co-chief executive officer of The Permanente Federation. “This beautiful new hospital incorporates the latest innovations and proven techniques that improve outcomes and make the patient care experience safer, more effective, and more convenient. It is a wonderful facility for our physicians and staff to deliver care, and for our patients to receive care.”
San Marcos Medical Center features a comprehensive 24-hour emergency department with 39 private treatment areas, 8 operating rooms, and capacity for 206 single interactive patient rooms. It offers several new state-of-the-art technologies to support the highest quality care and an enhanced patient experience.
Specialty services include an intensive care unit, interventional radiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, urology, nephrology, orthopedics, a robotic surgery program, maternal child health services, and a neonatal intensive care unit.
“With nearly 1 in 5 San Diegans entrusting their care to Kaiser Permanente, our new hospital allows us to continue to bring access to quality health care where, when, and how our patients want it,” said Michael Lalich, MD, area medical director and chief of staff for Kaiser Permanente in San Diego.
Patient rooms at San Marcos Medical Center have a 65-inch flat-screen display that gives patients bedside access to on-demand education, room controls, room service, the internet, and entertainment. An integrated video visit platform allows physicians to virtually check on their patients as needed. Each room is also equipped with a special lighting system that mimics the natural rhythms of daylight, a feature that improves health and well-being.
The campus offers patients and visitors various spaces to find quiet and respite, such as a healing garden, meditation room, and landscaped walking paths.
“Every design and planning decision we have made since breaking ground on this medical center has been guided by providing an unparalleled patient care experience,” said Jane Finley, senior vice president and area manager of the Kaiser Permanente San Diego service area. “Every patient will benefit from cutting-edge medical technologies, our integrated model of expert care, and, most importantly, personal service.”
At the forefront of green building design
Continuing Kaiser Permanente’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, the new hospital earned LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This makes San Marcos Medical Center just the third hospital in California to achieve Platinum status.
The building has a microgrid that allows it to generate its own electricity in the event of a power outage. Native plants and an efficient drip irrigation system help save 400,000 gallons of water each month — the equivalent of what is used monthly by 1,000 homes.
Flooring, insulation, and furniture made of low-emitting materials improve indoor air quality.
Supporting the San Marcos community
At its opening, San Marcos Medical Center will provide more than 1,000 permanent new jobs, helping boost the economic vitality of northern San Diego County. The hospital also features installations from 18 local artists whose works were inspired by the surrounding hillsides and ocean vistas.
Get more information about the services and specialties available at San Marcos Medical Center.
