IRVINE : Kaiser Weighs Sites for a New Hospital

Irvine is among several South County areas being considered for a major new Kaiser Permanente hospital, officials said Wednesday.

Kaiser officials said they are looking at South County sites to service a growing clientele that numbers more than 6,000 in Irvine alone.

Kaiser’s only Orange County hospital is in Anaheim and serves 180,000 subscribers countywide.

“It is a big growth area and part of our long-term plan is to have two hospitals in Orange County,” said Kaiser spokeswoman Amy Baker.

But Baker said plans are in the preliminary stages, and she could provide few details on other locations being studied.

In addition, because of planning and building requirements, any new hospital is at least 10 to 15 years away from completion, she said.

Irvine City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. confirmed that three vacant parcels at Alton Parkway and Sand Canyon Avenue have been discussed as possible sites for a new hospital. The land is owned by the Irvine Co. and is located across the street from the new Irvine Medical Center.

“We have told Kaiser and the Irvine Co. that we would look favorably upon continuing discussions, and that to have (the Kaiser hospital) in town would be a plus to the city,” Brady said. “But until we look at particular plans, I can’t give any indication of whether it is something we would recommend.”

Brady noted that the parcels are not zoned but have been identified as suitable sites for a hospital.

Kaiser is now constructing a 50,000-square-foot, 12-office outpatient complex at Barranca Parkway and East Yale Loop in Irvine that will offer family practice, pediatric, dermatology and radiology services. The complex will eventually be expanded to include 24 providers, Baker said.

Kaiser also has outpatient clinics in Tustin, Mission Viejo and Santa Ana and a mental health facility in Laguna Hills.