Scripps Coastal Medical Center opens in Escondido

Escondido – Scripps Health announced today that it has purchased the assets of Penn Elm Medical Group, and the group’s nine primary care physicians are now on the medical staff of Scripps Coastal Medical Center. The transition was effective Jan. 1, 2009.

Scripps Coastal Medical Center Escondido is located at 488 East Valley Parkway Ste. 411, Escondido.

“Penn Elm’s physicians are a great addition to Scripps. Like Scripps Coastal, they are highly respected and have been recognized for the high quality care they deliver to their patients,” said Kevin Hirsch, M.D., president of Scripps Coastal Medical Center.

“We share a commitment to patient-focused health care that has ranked the physicians of Scripps Coastal — and the former Penn Elm physicians — among the best medical groups for quality and patient satisfaction by the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative year after year.”

Scripps Coastal Medical Center Escondido is the latest in Scripps Health’s efforts to meet North (San Diego) County’s growing population and increasing health care needs. The San Diego-based nonprofit health system opened an expanded Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo in September and a new Scripps Coastal Medical Center Carlsbad in October. The new centers represent part of almost $2 billion Scripps is investing in improving and expanding its health care facilities in the coming decade. Scripps Coastal also opened a new medical office in Eastlake in November.

There will be little change for existing patients of the former Penn Elm group. The doctors have traditionally referred their patients to Scripps specialists and hospitals. The stronger Scripps affiliation will allow patients in inland North County greater access to Scripps programs and services throughout the region.

Patients with questions about their care can call a customer service specialist at 760-745-2000 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information about Scripps services and a free calendar of health education programs and screenings, contact 1-800-SCRIPPS.

Scripps Coastal Medical Center is consistently rated one of California’s best physician groups for quality care. With more than 100 physicians in nine locations throughout the San Diego region, Scripps Coastal Medical Center specializes in internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics, and operates an urgent care center in Vista.

Since Oct. 2008, Scripps Coastal Medical Center has added new locations in Carlsbad, Eastlake and Escondido.

Scripps Coastal Medical Center is part of Scripps Health, a $2.2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 12,300 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of clinics, physician offices and outpatient centers.

Scripps is committed to contributing to the future of medicine, offering more than 250 clinical research trials and three graduate medical education programs.

Media Contact: Don Stanziano
Phone: 858-678-7486
E-mail: stanziano.don@scrippshealth.org