View source for Richmond Medical Center

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[[Image:KaiserPerm.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Richmond Medical Center in downtown Richmond.]]

'''Richmond Medical Center''' is a large [[Kaiser Permanente]] hospital in [[Downtown Richmond, Richmond, California|downtown]] [[Richmond, California|Richmond]], [[California]] which serves 77,000 members registered under its medical plans.<ref name="kpstats">[http://nursingpathways.kp.org/ncal/careers/facilities_ca/richmond.html Richmond Medical Center], Nursing Pathways Northern California, Kaiser Permanente, retrieved [[September 8]], [[2007]]</ref>

==History==
The current facility was built in the 1970s to replace an aging [[World War II]] era field hospital <ref name="NPS2">{{cite news |title=Kaiser Permanente Field Hospita | url=http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rori_library/Nat%20Reg%20Kaiser%20Field%20Hospital.pdf |publisher= [[National Park Service]]}} </ref>.  This hospital was the field hospital for the first Kaiser Hospital in [[Oakland, California|Oakland]].  It opened in 1942 to serve the [[Richmond Shipyards|Richmond Kaiser Shipyards]] workers who had signed up for the "Kaiser Plan", one of the first voluntary pre-paid health plans which was a direct precursor to the modern [[Health Maintenance Organization|Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)]].  The field hospital closed in 1995.  Along with the entire neighborhood of [[Atchison Village, Richmond, California|Atchison Village]], it is now on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and is part of [[Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park]] <ref name="NPS">{{cite news |title=Rosie the Riveter--World War II Home Front National Historical Park | url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wwIIbayarea/ros.htm |publisher= [[National Park Service]]}} </ref>.

The hospital was originally made of one pavilion, but was expanded to three in the 1990s, including upgrading to a full hospital service including surgery and emergency. The hospital portion is currently undergoing further expansion of 2006.

==Services==
Richmond Medical Center has 41 departments and services offered to its members.<ref name="KPdepts">[http://richmond.kaiser.org/depts.htm Departments & Services], Richmond Medical Center website</ref>

===Emergency services===

The hospital offers emergency medical services in addition to surgery and is currently being enlarged due to greater needs from the community. The partial closure of the next closest hospital [[Doctors Medical Center (San Pablo)|Doctors Medical Center]] has put a strain on emergency services in the community. The hospital performs bariatric surgery and head and neck surgery on top of standard surgery.<ref name="KPdepts"/> Patients with more serious complications were traditionally directed to Doctors Medical Center but are now shuttled to [[John Muir Hospital]] in Walnut Creek. Children are always directed to [[Oakland Children's Hospital]] when medically safe or in life threatening situations if they are brought to Richmond initially.

===Special services===
In addition to emergency services Kaiser Richmond also offers a wide range urgent care and routine services. The medical center offers specialization in various common departments and notably Benefits Advocacy and Social Services departments<ref name="KPdepts"/> which are dedicated to assist those with the state funded [[Medi-Cal]] health plan. This is a health coverage for those who are on welfare, poor, disabled, and seniors and this assists them to access their benefits and navigate applications and appeals.

Kaiser Richmond also offers Health Education<ref name="KPdepts"/> workshops to educate their members about healthy lifestyles and the Thrive/Viva Bien campaign. There is also a Breast Health Clinic<ref name="KPdepts"/> which is a unique preventative health, specific department for women to monitor their mammary health and prevent Breast Cancer. The hospital also features a dedicated HIV services<ref name="KPdepts"/> unit to assist patients who are HIV-positive. In addition to that there are Home Health Care and Chronic Conditions departments<ref name="KPdepts"/> which provide advice on taking care of yourself  or others at home without the need of a doctor which is targeted at those with chronic conditions such as Dementia, Asthma, Diabetes, or Epilepsy or at dealing with common inflictions such as seasonal allergies or influenza. There is also a Respiratory Care department<ref name="KPdepts"/> which is dedicated specially to those with Asthma, an illness which has a high incidence in Richmond which many attribute to pollution from industry specifically the Chevron Refinery. The rehabilitation department<ref name="KPdepts"/> oversees physical therapy for those who have suffered severe injuries or amputations. There is an occupational health department<ref name="KPdepts"/> which is dedicated to educating and treating patients with work related injuries. There is a speech therapy department<ref name="KPdepts"/> which assists autistic children. The medical center features a teen clinic<ref name="KPdepts"/> where adolescents may attend appointments without the accompaniment or consent of an adult without going to pediatrics this department has a focus on sexual health and substance use. That unit works with the chemical dependency department<ref name="KPdepts"/> which provides health care for those with addictions and recreational use of various narcotics such as alcohol, marijuana, prescription abuse, crack and others. Toddlers are taken to the Early Start<ref name="KPdepts"/> unit which provides motor skills and cognitive development and disease screening and teaches parents how to best care for their young children.

===Regular services===

The hospitals more standard departments and services are: Allergy, Gastroenterology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Podiatry,  Hospitalists, Psychiatry, Radiology, Dermatology, Medicine, Dietician, Outpatient Services, Neurology, Ob/Gyn, Ear, Nose & Throat, Oncology, Eye Clinic, and Orthopedics.<ref name="KPdepts"/>

Kaiser has three on-site pharmacies<ref name="KPdepts"/> and all tests are performed in the hospital's own Laboratory<ref name="KPdepts"/>

===Transportation===

The hospital provides free shuttle service between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. every 15 minutes to the [[Richmond Station (California)|Richmond BART/Amtrak]] station<ref name="bus">[http://richmond.kaiser.org/publictrans.htm Public Transportation], Richmond Medical Center website, retrieved [[August 25]], [[2007]]</ref> which is in walking distance. Many AC Transit bus lines are within a short walking distance as well. Free parking is provided to all visitors by a 6 story garage which is connected to the hospital by a canopy covered walkway.

==External links==
* [http://richmond.kaiser.org/ Richmond Medical Center] at Kaiser Permanente website
* [http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.937285,-122.360283&spn=0.004189,0.006212&t=h&z=17&om=1 Aerial image at Google Maps]

==References==
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{{Richmond, California}}

[[Category:Contra Costa County, California]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Richmond, California]]
[[Category:Hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Hospitals in California]]