Keck Medicine of USC is significantly expanding its patient care services and health care facilities with the opening of the new Norris Healthcare Center (HC3), a seven-story, 116,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility on the Health Sciences Campus. Representing the fourth outpatient facility built adjacent to Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, the new building incorporates integrated care delivery with a patient-centric design for multidisciplinary ambulatory care.

“Keck Medicine of USC is in a period of unprecedented growth, with significant increases in patient volume, and the new Norris Healthcare Center will help us meet the growing demand,” said Tom Jackiewicz, MPH, senior vice president and CEO of Keck Medicine of USC. “This beautiful, modern facility can accommodate more than 100,000 patient visits each year and offers expanded specialty services that have been tailored to the current and future needs of our patients.”

To help enhance the patient experience, the new building was designed to coordinate care across different services. All women’s specialty care services, including wellness care, gynecologic oncology, a breast center and breast imaging, have been grouped together on a single floor. Urology and urologic oncology also will see new patients together on the same floor in the new building, which will integrate care for patients who need coordinated treatment from both medical oncologists and oncology surgeons.

The new facility includes an infusion center with soothing details like etched glass for privacy and comfortable chairs. (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

An infusion center is designed with the patient’s needs and comfort in mind, given the extended time required for treatments. Twenty-four etched glass bays offer privacy and serene views of the campus and San Gabriel Mountains. Patients also can pass the time in the social area or use the center’s iPads, which are equipped with both entertainment and interactive patient education.

The building offers an Outpatient Surgery Center with six large operating rooms, as well as 46 examination rooms, several procedure treatment rooms, a blood draw station, a pharmacy, an image enhancement center, a gift shop and a dining area with retail space.

“The Norris Healthcare Center uses an integrated delivery model across specialties, which allows for better coordination of care and more same-day services,” said Smitha Ravipudi, MPH, chief operating officer of USC Care and Ambulatory Services. “We designed the new building to be flexible and agile so we can deliver ambulatory care with an eye toward the future.”

“The skills of our surgical staff and our use of cutting-edge technology have elevated Keck Medicine among the most highly ranked and in-demand health systems in the country,” said Alice Issai, MBA, chief operating officer of Keck Medical Center. “The expanded outpatient operating room space in the new health care center enables us to provide the highest standard of care to an ever-growing patient pool.”

— Erica Rheinschild