On stage, off stage.
This evocative phrase refers to the functional design at Optum’s new facility at Dunlap and Interstate 17, which opened for business October 29.
Beyond the spacious reception area, the facility is organized as pods, with patient examination rooms ringing a central area where the nurses and doctors have their stations. The rooms open from one side to the staff area and are accessed on the opposite side from the pod’s encircling hallway. Thus, “on stage, off stage” — a design that provides a calmer experience for the patients, explains Jay Priebe, VP of clinic operations.
There are 33 of these primary care rooms, plus a dedicated specialty area that brings the patient care room total to 42. The 32,000 square feet also houses a lab for on-site lab services to draw blood — which will be sent out for diagnostic testing — plus a wide range of point-of-care testing that supports just-in-time review of health conditions such as diabetes checks, urinalysis review to Flu and Covid testing. For instance, the clinic uses Digital Radiology which enhances the X-ray image and ability to diagnose health conditions. So, most patient diagnostic needs can be handled on site.
Optum Metro Center Health Clinic lead physician Scott Steingard, D.O., who brought more than 30 years’ experience as a practicing physician in Phoenix when he joined Optima in 2018, has recently added younger providers who, he says, “appreciate the ease of support from other doctors” as the environment fosters a feeling of collegiality and interaction.
“At Optum, our mission is to provide patient-centered care that is accessible, compassionate, and comprehensive. Located in the Metro District next to the new Metro Parkway light rail stop, our 42-exam-room Metro Center Community Health Center is a testament to that commitment,” says Stephen Macias, president and CEO at Optum for Arizona and New Mexico.
