GAMC expanding to serve more

Ryan Carter

Faced with growing demand and a need to tap markets in surrounding

communities, Glendale Adventist Medical Center is not only revamping

its campus, it is opening care centers outside the city.

In April, Glendale Adventist moved into Burbank at 2211 W.

Magnolia Blvd. The new Occupational Medicine Center has a staff of

four medical workers, including a physician.

The urgent-care facility includes treatment for work-related

injuries and works with local businesses such as local film studios

to expedite injury claims, officials said. The hospital has a similar

facility at 600 S. Glendale Ave.

“But at that location, they are fairly filled to capacity with

patients, up to 50 to 75 a day,” Burbank manager and nurse Judy Colby

said.

In August, construction will begin on the hospital’s New Therapy

and Wellness Center, a $1.4 million, 18,000-square-foot outpatient

pediatric and adult rehabilitation therapy center on property leased

from Westfield Shopping Town. The new facility will be at 2560 W.

Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock.

The center will include basic adult occupational therapy for

injured workers, as well as hand therapy and a special pool with

customized therapeutic features.

It will also include new equipment for athletic training programs

and for seniors. The children’s services will include treatment for

autism, hearing loss and developmental disabilities, officials said.

“There’s always been the desire to build a freestanding adult

rehab facility,” medical center Vice President David Igler said.

The main campus building that houses the pediatric therapy center

was going to be demolished as part of the $100-million renovation

project. With the construction, the pediatric-therapy program needed

to be relocated and leasing the mall property allows its services to

be offered in the same building as the adult occupational ones, Igler

said.

The funding for the nonprofit hospital comes from revenue from

services and philanthropy, Igler said.