DENVER-Two off-campus, outpatient healthcare projects on opposite sides of the country are achieving, or will achieve, similar outcomes for their health systems. Local NexCore Group is the developer of both projects, one of which was recently completed and the other of which is slated for an opening in the fall.

The completed project is in Vestal, NY, where NexCore delivered a $30 million integrated outpatient center for United Health Services (UHS) in an area known as the Southern Tier part of the state.

The other project, started in November, will be a $22 million integrated outpatient center for Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Monroe, Wash., in the far northeast exurbs of Seattle.

“The healthcare delivery landscape is changing,” says Greg Venn, NexCore's president and CEO. “Healthcare reform will eventually require all health systems to improve the quality and efficiency of their patient care while reducing costs.” In order to do so, hospitals and health systems will need outpatient facilities delivering a variety of services in areas close to where patients live.

He adds that both UHS, which operates four hospitals, and the 372-bed Providence hospital, are anticipating such demands by moving forward with such projects. The facilities NexCore developed for the two health systems should help both expand their patient bases, according to officials with the development firm.

In New York, UHS, the largest provider of healthcare services in the Endicott-Binghamton area, asked NexCore to build it a facility in Vestal that would improve patients' access to services in what is considered an underserved market. It also was looking to strengthen its brand with the area's first “big box” outpatient facility. 

According to Venn, NexCore provided project management and advisory services and advised the system on strategic planning, program coordination and regulatory approvals for the 85,500-square-foot, multi-specialty center in a high-traffic retail area.

Described as a “one-stop” medical facility, the building provides primary care, rheumatology, cardiology, imaging, lab and pharmacy services as well as a walk-in clinic and a women's center. The architect was Binghamton-based Chianis + Anderson Architects; the construction manager was a local firm, LeChase Construction Services. UHS owns the facility.

In Monroe, WA, about 30 miles northeast of Seattle, NexCore worked with Providence on site selection and land acquisition, conceptual programming and planning, business planning, and system approvals, for a future two-story, 43,000-square-foot facility. The company broke ground in November for Providence Medical Building, which will be owned by the system.

The outpatient facility will provide a wide array of services and space for more than 30 medical providers. On site will be multiple primary care practices as well as physicians offering cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, general surgery, midwifery, neurology, neurosurgery, OB/GYN, orthopedics, pain management, and other specialties. 

The facility will also house an urgent care center, full-service imaging center, non-invasive diagnostics, lab services, a retail pharmacy, coffee bistro, and an education and conference center. The designer is Seattle-basedCollinsWoerman Architects; the construction manager is Sellen Construction, also of Seattle.

John Mugford is the Editor of Healthcare Real Estate Insights™, the nation's first and only publication totally dedicated to covering news and trends in healthcare real estate development, financing and investment. For more information, please visit www.HREInsights.com.