July 10, 2013 -- Legacy Health will officially break ground on Legacy Laboratory Services’ new expanded headquarters on Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. The project will erect a new two-story, 62,000 square foot structure adjacent to the lab’s current facility it shares with Legacy Research Institute. GBJ Architects, a local leader in health care architecture, designed Legacy Central Laboratory.
The new Legacy Central Laboratory will be a purpose-built facility that is specifically designed to support the many years of steady growth in Legacy Laboratory Services’ business volumes and the equipment to comprise a 21st century laboratory. Legacy Laboratory Services’ business growth combined with larger modern equipment has created cramped facilities that are spread out throughout the Portland-metro region in the existing Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Emanuel and Legacy Good Samaritan campuses.
The new facility’s designs will allow Legacy Laboratory Services to operate at maximum efficiency and capacity. Specifically, Legacy Central Laboratory will double the amount of space the lab currently has, creating two floors of dedicated lab space. Consolidating locations into one central facility will optimize lab services by increasing workflow efficiencies and decreasing the amount of transport time for specimens, people, supplies and equipment.
“Today marks a major milestone for Legacy Laboratory Services and Legacy Health,” said Don Toussaint, Vice President of Legacy Laboratory Services. “We have grown tremendously in recent years, and in order to continue exceeding the needs of our clients and our patients, the new expanded headquarters is essential.”
Legacy Laboratory Services’ expansion will also increase its energy efficiencies. The project includes energy efficient mechanical design to achieve an aggressive 4 percent savings compared to typical labs of similar size and function. Legacy Central Laboratory will also include on-site storm water treatment systems; state of the art energy efficient lighting including LED sources; and new automated controls for lighting and mechanical systems will adjust energy usage to match building occupancy.
The project’s design also includes many improvements to the property exterior green space areas, including new stepped rain gardens, 70 new trees and sidewalk improvements and benches for pedestrians.
– On July 18th urgent care group Doctors Express will expand, opening the doors of their North East clinic. Representing the third Doctors Express in the greater Portland area since 2011.
Staffed with fully trained doctors, providers, and medical staff, the expansion of urgent care over the last several years has marked the beginning of a shifting paradigm in community healthcare. With medical costs continuing to rise, urgent care has experienced significant growth, with the number of facilities jumping from 8,000 to 9,300 nationwide in the last five years alone.
Offering their services in local neighborhoods, urgent care centers bridge the gap between a primary care physician and the emergency room. With recent reports estimating that as much as 56% of all ER visits could have been avoided, and handled elsewhere, urgent care centers like Doctors Express step in when primary care physicians are unreachable or busy with other clients. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Health, it was found that the costs of an average ER visit ran as high as $1,233, while urgent care facilities average anywhere from $71 to $125 for a typical visit. They provide a faster, simpler, and almost always more affordable choice for non-life threatening medical attention.
“In the past, emergency rooms were often the only choice. People are now beginning to realize that there’s an alternative.” Said Doctors Express Medical Director, Dr. Laura Mellick. “We hope to provide services to fill the acute care gap that exists between primary care availability and emergency care.”
Placed in high visibility, often high-end retail settings, urgent care facilities allow patients to seek the help they need, in a location that is quick and convenient when they need it. Covering nearly all non-life threatening injuries and ailments, with licensed doctors attending to patients promptly. Centers across the nation are seeing as many as 3 million patients weekly according to the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, and the figures show no signs of slowing down. In addition to seeing walk-in patients Doctors Express also provides travel vaccinations, sports and camp physicals, occupational health services such as drug screens, as well as pre-employment and D.O.T physicals.
“We see ourselves as a community resource that is available extended hours and during weekends.” Said Center Director Guru Sankar. “We see a lot of patients with insurance, but also welcome patients who do not have insurance; we have very affordable cash prices for these self-pay patients”.
Doctors Express urgent care centers are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week and most holidays, providing patients with fast, friendly, and affordable healthcare. They take most insurance, as well as Medicare, and offer discounts for self-pay visitors.
