Plans for Future Growth Announced
Continuing a Legacy
Plans for Future Growth Announced
Architectural rendering of the future Scripps San Marcos medical center campus.
More than a century after its founding of Scripps Memorial Hospital in 1924, Scripps Health is once again set to bring a new hospital and an expanded level of care to San Diego.
In August, the Scripps Health Board of Trustees approved a long-term northern region facilities plan that will guide Scripps’ growth and construction over the coming decade and help it serve San Diego communities for generations to come.
The plan calls for a new ambulatory facility and acute care hospital in San Marcos and the transition of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla into an expanded regional medical center campus. Both are in addition to a nine-point construction plan already underway at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas.
“This is an important step forward in the continuing legacy of Scripps Health,” says Chris Van Gorder, Scripps president and CEO. “The economic and regulatory uncertainties facing health care today call for growth that is strategic, incremental and flexible. To truly finance and achieve our mission across San Diego County, we must first secure and expand our market in the north where we have a stronger footing.”
In San Marcos
The new Scripps San Marcos Medical Center campus will be built on 15 acres of corner-lot property near land Scripps has owned for 35 years.
“The property is located at the corner of Discovery Street and Twin Oaks Valley Road in North City, directly across from the California State University San Marcos campus,” says Barbara Price, Scripps corporate senior vice president, strategy and planning. “This location provides great visibility and accessibility, as well as significant space for growth.”
Planning has already begun for construction of the new medical center campus, which will start with a new comprehensive ambulatory facility and progress to include a 120-bed acute care hospital that could later be expanded to up to 230 beds.
“Our patient population has grown considerably in San Marcos, so this campus will be more convenient for our existing patients and offer expanded access to care for others in the area,” adds Price. “We intend to serve the health care needs of this region far into the future.”
Architectural rendering of future growth on the La Jolla campus includes an additional medical office building and a third hospital tower.
In La Jolla
Planning has also begun to evolve the Scripps hospital campus in La Jolla into a state-of-the-art regional medical center that brings together the expertise and services of both Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Green Hospital.
“While our first thought was to rebuild or retrofit our buildings on the Scripps Green Hospital campus, both for expansion and in keeping with state-mandated legislation, we are severely limited in what we can do there,” says Van Gorder. “Existing property restrictions and height limits mean we can’t feasibly rebuild or retrofit those buildings or make any significant improvements without closing patient care facilities for several years.”
In response, Scripps will instead further build-out its La Jolla campus and transition Green physicians, staff, programs and services to La Jolla over the next five to 10 years. Plans for the combined regional medical center campus include another medical office building and a third multi-story hospital tower, similar to the two newest hospital towers there today.
A tradition of generosity
“When our founders — Ellen Browning Scripps and Mother Mary Michael Cummings — established their new hospitals at the turn of the 20th century, they did so with community support for what at that time was an unfamiliar mission,” says Van Gorder. “Their spirit, perseverance and commitment to community is what delivered modern health care to this area.
“Today with our northern region facilities plan, we are honoring and furthering our founders' legacy, providing for generations to come, and working with our communities to chart a new course for health care in San Diego — and a new future for Scripps.”
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.
The generosity of our donors has been critical to our growth and success over the last century, and continued philanthropic support will help make our plans for the future a reality. Learn about more ways to support Scripps through our Here for Good capital campaign.