This Sunday will mark PIH Health Hospital - Downey’s fourth year as part of the PIH Health system.

Since joining the health network in 2013, the hospital has undergone extensive updates to both its physical structures and internal systems. Significant investments toward functional and aesthetic improvements enhance patient care and safety as well as the patient and visitor experience.
 
“We have made significant progress and continue improvements to ensure we are able to deliver some of the best care available in Downey and the surrounding areas," said Ramona Pratt, the hospital's chief operating officer. "The hospital has served the Downey population for almost 100 years and we are looking forward to another century as a healthcare cornerstone in this community.
 
Milestones, upgrades and improvements that have taken place since 2013 include:
 
■ New technologies: Surgical towers, telemetry monitors, 3-D mammography and a new electronic medical record system that recently achieved national recognition.

■ New services: PIH Health Physicians OB/GYN, ENT and Family Medicine specialists are now available at the Downey Brookshire Medical office building for added local healthcare convenience. PIH Health Bloomfield Medical Office Building also opened in August 2017 and offers an urgent care center, located in Santa Fe Springs, for the Downey community.

Other services provided at the Bloomfield Medical Office Building include family medicine, eye care center, orthopedics, radiology and a soon-to-open pharmacy.

■ Construction/Upgrades: Construction on the expansion of the Emergency Department (ED) began in spring 2016. The current space was constructed in 1998 to accommodate 25,000 patient visits per year. Today, the facility handles approximately 50,000 patients per year.

Once completed, the ED will almost double in size by adding 5,000 square feet of space to accommodate more patients. Other updates include: volunteer seismic retrofitting to better prepare the facility to handle a large-scale earthquake; current renovation of the Main Lobby and facility entrance; and refurbishments to patient units with updates such as new beds for patients, TVs, paint, carpet, flooring, and artwork on the walls.

■ Relationship building with local officials: Hospital leadership has kept local officials apprised of plans and progress made at the hospital campus. Public officials have visited the hospital for events and tours.

■ Community involvement: Various community health classes are now offered to the community in Downey based on a Community Health Needs Assessment.

■ Recruitment and retainment of  staff. PIH Health’s employees and physicians are at the core of the organization—their compassion and expertise impact patients’ lives each day.

■ Volunteers. More community members have joined the PIH Health Hospital - Downey volunteer team, a much-needed service since PIH Health is a nonprofit organization. New to Downey in 2017 is a volunteer Pet Therapy Program, where a volunteer and puppy team visits patients and staff alike. 

The addition of PIH Health Hospital - Downey’s primary service area of 1,045,078 has brought PIH Health’s entire service area up to 2.1 million lives served.  The Downey campus has a long-standing tradition with the community and PIH Health plans to continue that tradition well into the future.

“PIH Health is pleased to be an active member of the Downey community,” added Pratt. “We are looking forward to another 100 years of health and wellness in Downey.”