UCI Health opens new Newport Beach location
In Newport Beach this week, UCI Health opened its new Newport Beach location on 2161 San Joaquin Hills Road. The facility focuses on disease prevention and health management through “[consideration of] all aspects of a patient’s mind, body and spirit.”
A brief ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday evening, but the facility officially opened on Monday. UCI staff and guests were guided on a tour of the 7,000-square-foot building on the corner of San Joaquin Hills Road and Avocado Avenue.
It includes 14 examination rooms, three treatment rooms and one room for procedures. University officials said that the medical center would be holding a virtual open house for the facility on Sept. 1.
It will employ 13 non-provider staff members, with about five providers working through the week.
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“We’re very excited about this new site in Newport Beach,” said cardiologist Shaista Malik, associate vice chancellor for integrative health at the Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences. “We have a very unique collaboration of integrative health alongside cutting edge medical care. We are going to have acupuncture, nutrition, massage, yoga and mindfulness.”
Malik said that the services will be offered along with integrative programs in pain management, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, dermatology and sports medicine along with concierge primary care that will be delivered by trained providers.
“This allows us to really tailor and personalize a patient’s care because we are able to use advanced diagnostics to figure out what treatment plan works best for that patient,” Malik said. “So, it’s not a one-size fits all. It’s really personalized care that incorporates all the treatment, incorporates all the root causes of illness and that includes nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and emotional well-being. This is very, very unique.”
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Dr. Ailin Barseghian, who specializes in preventative cardiology and integrative heart health, said in a statement that the approach at the Newport Beach center is focused on the “whole person,” meaning that patients would be treated for immediate symptoms, but doctors and nurses will also be looking at patients’ health history and lifestyles in depth to devise a treatment plan.
“We assess nutrition and fitness, as well as sleep patterns and any possible stressors — such as whether someone is going through a divorce or a difficult time on the job — to see if there’s an underlying cause,” Barseghian said. “We might also try acupuncture, which studies show can lower blood pressure if a regular regimen is maintained.”
Nasim Afsar, chief operating officer for ambulatory care at UCI Health, said Tuesday that the Newport Beach center expects over a hundred patients to the new site in its opening week.
“At UCI Health, we make a daily commitment to stop at nothing to meet and exceed the expectations of every member of our community,” said Chad Lefteris, CEO of UCI Health, in a statement. “Our multidisciplinary clinical care teams provide world-class primary and specialty care driven by the discovery and innovation of Orange County’s only university health system.”
“UCI once again is on the forefront of providing medical services and support for our community,” Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Laguna Beach) said. “We are thrilled to have them here in Newport Beach opening up this facility.”
The university said it would also be breaking ground on a 168,000-square-foot outpatient center on Jamboree Road in 2021. It is anticipated for completion by late 2022, pending approvals.
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