The last time Sansum Clinic built a new facility, its clinic on Pueblo Street, it was 1976 and the first Rocky movie was in theaters, Don Sutton was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and televisions had external antennas.
So stated Sansum CEO Kurt Ransohoff when he introduced several hundred people to the newly-completed medical and surgical center and the Sansum Eye Clinic Center at 4151 Foothill Road.
The Elings Pavilion, named for Virgil Elings who donated $1 million to support health care at the new facilities, will house an outpatient surgery center and offices for several departments, including orthopedics, podiatry, physical therapy, radiology, urology, audiology, and ear, nose and throat.
Elings previously provided financial support enabling Sansum to complete the largest free colonoscopy program in the country, Ransohoff said, adding that Eling’s gift would continue to help provide surgical services for those who can’t afford them.
Across the parking lot, a second building houses ophthalmology services, including a surgery and procedure room, pediatric ophthalmology as well as cataract and glaucoma specialties.
Ransohoff said he expects 118,000 patient visits to take place at the Foothill Center over the next year of operation.
The clinic’s other two locations on Pueblo Street and Pesetas Lane will remain open.
The Foothill Road buildings are providing additional capacity at the Pesetas Clinic so that primary care services can be expanded as well as be the potential site of a new Urgent Care location, said Ransohoff.
The project made impressive time to completion under the helm of developer Michael Towbes — the effort broke ground 16 months ago.
The event was well-attended by community members, Sansum doctors, donors and business owners, and each got a chance to take a tour of the new facilities.
There are some personal touches throughout the new buildings, including a waiting room decorated with picturesque photographs taken by Sansum staff.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
