Scripps Plans for Future: New Hospitals, Technology Upgrades

While past growth was more about acquisition, partnerships and outpatient facilities, the focus now is on new construction and modern technology — an intentional evolution Van Gorder says will drive the organization another century. 

“Today we’re expanding our current medical center campuses and outpatient network, planning for the replacement of existing hospitals and committing to new growth like the medical center campus in San Marcos,” he says. 

“We’re looking at the future of health care and asking, ‘How do we need to grow to continue our mission and meet changing health care needs?’ and ‘How can we do that within the financial constraints facing health care today?’” 

That’s not an easy balance to maintain. 

Inflation and state and federal cuts are impacting the already-low profit margins Scripps reinvests in staff, facility improvements, new equipment and construction. And as federal health care cuts begin to take effect, Scripps hospitals that serve lower-income populations will see even greater losses as patients lose insurance coverage. 

“We have a 100-year legacy and mission in San Diego and serving this community another 100 years or more is very important to us,” says Van Gorder. “We’d love to just grow everywhere and take it all on right now — but that’s just not financially responsible. 

“It’s important that we solidify and expand our market share, improve our income stream and then use that financial depth to fuel strategic growth and construction over the next 10 to 20 years,” he adds. 

A plan recently approved by the Scripps Health Board of Trustees begins to address those priorities. Recognizing the need for hospital replacements and other construction across the county, the plan also supports a sequential growth strategy that establishes a solid footing in San Diego’s northern regions before other projects. 

Some of that work has already begun. 

“Our recent opening of a second hospital tower on the Scripps La Jolla campus (the North Tower), and the continuation of a nine-phase rebuilding plan on our Scripps Encinitas campus really mark the beginning of what’s to come,” says Barbara Price, Scripps corporate vice president of planning and strategy. 

“Plans for a new medical center in San Marcos are already in development,” she adds, “and over the next two decades, we’re planning for growth and construction across the Scripps system — as it makes the most sense and as we can afford it.” 

Current plans are to keep all Scripps hospitals up to date with medical technology and equipment to ensure they’re ready to meet the health care needs of their communities. 

“Health care is always shifting — how it’s delivered, how it’s accessed and how it’s funded — but our patients stay at the center of what we do,” says Van Gorder. “As we see hospitals in the state forced to merge or even close, our growth and evolution becomes more about being here for the long term. 

“We want to provide high-quality health care in San Diego for many decades to come,” he adds, “and sustainable growth is how we achieve that.”