What new type of medical clinic looks like a yoga studio and even offers free exercise classes, healthy cooking classes, and community events? This new wellness center, located in Manhattan Beach, CA, is the first of its kind for Kaiser Permanente, the large healthcare group based out of Oakland, CA, who has invested in this medical clinic along with other healthcare providers such as Aetna and Cigna.
The purpose of such community-based medical centers is to foster good health beyond just a visit to the doctor - the leaders behind this new innovative approach hope that the welcoming clinic will be more than just a place that patients come when they are sick, but also a place where they can come if they feel perfectly fine.
The new medical clinic opened in December, so there is not yet substantial evidence to show if this approach to healthcare is indeed yielding healthier patients, but the Healthcare Trends Institute estimates that for every dollar invested into a wellness program, the payoff is a $3.27 savings in healthcare costs. What's more, it is estimated that putting money into a wellness center such as this one will yield a return on investment of 6%-10%.
The Kaiser Permanente medical clinic is certainly a revolutionary step for Kaiser Permanente, and it is making wellness resources much more accessible to the members of the community. The space and design of the clinic is a stark contrast to what we have come to expect from the typical medical clinic, with 9,000 square feet of open, welcoming space.
