In what an executive of Intermountain Health Care calls a dramatic departure in the concept of health care for the 21st century, officials broke ground Friday on a health center in Orem adjacent to Orem Community Hospital.
Larry Dursteler, vice president of the IHC Urban South Region, said a focus on prevention and care rather than on hospitalization is the new direction.William Nelson, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Orem hospital, said creation of the center will continue a process to which IHC is "critically committed, to providing more and better health services to the communities."
Linda Leckman said the clinic in Highland reflects the same commitment, a coordinated, seamless system of health-care delivery that keeps costs down by minimizing resource needs.
The new Orem center will house four family practice physicians, who will coordinate directly with the hospital and share radiology and laboratory resources.
Land to the west of the hospital will be developed into soccer fields to share with the community and Sun-crest Elementary School. A jog-ging/-walking path will be built around the area, encouraging local residents to exercise and stay healthy.
"This center will serve some of the needs in Orem. We're excited," said Mayor Stella Welsh. "We have a great need for more soccer fields, and every track in the city is well used."
Welsh said joint ventures like the IHC/Orem community park are "one of the waves of the future."
To celebrate the partnership, students in Suncrest Elementary were given sets of Lego blocks to create items for the ground-break-ing.
Each grade level chose a team and built something to symbolize health care.
The sixth grade built a microscope, said Janae Padilla, because IHC gave them a grant for science study.
Keisha Christensen said the fourth grade made a hospital. So did the first grade, complete with a helicopter, made by Logan Rasmussen. The fifth and third grades created building block ambulances, said Alex Mitchel, "because we didn't think anybody else would do one."
The second grade created a wheelchair like that used by their teacher, said Dana Lambert. The kindergarten children made a syringe. "We know how important it is to get our shots," said Kristin Bentley.