Penn Medicine University City Unveiled: Market Street Tower Is Primed To Boost Patient Engagement, Elevate The Outpatient Experience

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The dedication of Penn Medicine University City on September 12 will mark the grand opening of Penn Medicine's newest outpatient facility, which showcases a new model for patient experience and engagement. The facility was developed with a $38 million investment from Penn Medicine, and in partnership with Good Shepherd Penn Partners, The University City Science Center and Wexford Science & Technology. The 150,000 square-foot outpatient site is now home to more than a dozen clinical specialties whose staff work together in multi-disciplinary teams aided by state-of-the-art medical technology to provide both a modern, "one-stop-shop" clinic for outpatient services, as well as an ambulatory surgical center and a 29,800-square-foot therapy and rehabilitation facility.

With nearly 110 exam rooms, six outpatient operating rooms, and an outpatient medical imaging and diagnostic testing center, Penn Medicine University City serves as Penn Presbyterian Medical Center's most comprehensive ambulatory care site. Its location expands Penn's footprint within the West Philadelphia community, bringing more health care services closer to where people work. The facility also serves as a new "front door" to Penn's campus from University City onto the growing Market Street medical and Science Center corridor, providing easier access for patients coming from West Philadelphia and the nearby suburbs.

"This is a very exciting time to be at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center," said Michele Volpe, executive director of Penn Presbyterian. "With University City's opening, we celebrate the first of many upcoming milestones for PPMC. The lessons learned throughout the design and development process of this extraordinary facility will inform the work we do each day in our existing facilities, helping us to continue building upon our already rich culture of excellence and map new strategies to deliver the very best patient care."

Penn Medicine University City serves as the first of many firsts for Penn Presbyterian, and the beginning of a major expansion for Penn Medicine. With the completion of the new Pavilion for Advanced Care  - scheduled for early 2015 - the Health System's regional Level I Trauma and Critical Care Center will transition from its current home at HUP, making way for a new patient facility.

"Penn Medicine University City is an integral part of a series of development projects for our health system," said Ralph Muller, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Each phase is designed to provide patients with the exceptional care for which Penn Medicine is known, throughout the City of Philadelphia and the region."

A New Model in Patient Experience and Care Delivery

A preeminent example of Penn Medicine University City's new patient engagement model is the Penn Musculoskeletal Center, the first enterprise of its kind in the region. The center offers a unique and highly specialized approach to treating orthopaedic disorders, injuries and other conditions of the joints, bones or muscles. On-site clinical specialties include orthopaedic surgery, rheumatology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, internal medicine, pain medicine, and therapy/rehabilitation services. The center will also be home to the new Penn Center for Human Performance, slated to open later this year.

"We're offering a whole new approach to integrated care," said L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, chair of the department of Orthopaedic Surgery. "The goal is to provide patients with the same world-class care they've come to expect at Penn Medicine, combined with added benefits and streamlined services to keep them engaged in their own care. When patients are involved and knowledgeable about their condition and the plan to management, both their experience and care are improved."

Developed using best practices from industry leaders in customer service, combined with Penn Medicine patient feedback, the Center offers a patient- and family-centered approach. For example, the Musculoskeletal Center provides each patient with a dedicated care coordinator, an innovative role that provides patients with a single point of contact for scheduling follow-up visits, additional tests, and referrals.

Upon arrival, patients visiting the Center will be escorted by a concierge to small waiting rooms which group patients according to specific conditions. For example, one "hub" is for patients with shoulder and elbow problems, while another is for knee injuries. In keeping with the goal of providing patients with a more engaging, personalized experience, the Center also offers added services such as check-in kiosks, iPads preloaded with injury-specific educational material, and large flat screens in exam rooms, to be used for clinicians to review and discuss imaging results with patients or offer patient education videos between visits with specialists.

Rehabilitation services are also a cornerstone of the facility, with Penn Therapy & Fitness University City providing specialized physical, occupational and speech therapy, including orthopedic and sports rehabilitation, hand therapy, cancer rehabilitation, neurologic therapy, cognitive therapy for patients recovering from strokes or head injuries, speech/language pathology, and women's health services. The facility contains Penn Medicine's first therapy pool, complete with an underwater treadmill and underwater cameras. The cameras allow therapists to give guidance and direction while watching the patient move.

In addition to the patient space, the building also features an outpatient pharmacy on the ground floor and convenient patient parking adjacent to the building.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 17 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $392 million awarded in the 2013 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; Chester County Hospital; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2013, Penn Medicine provided $814 million to benefit our community.

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CONTACT: Katie Delach, 617-406-1622, [email protected]

SOURCE Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania