Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland announced today a $5 million grant from Kaiser Permanente to benefit the 100-year-old, not-for-profit medical center's rebuild and modernization efforts. This contribution will make a profound impact in the community and the quality of care available to all children.
"We are extremely grateful for Kaiser Permanente's generous donation that will contribute to the modernization of our 100-year-old hospital," said Children's Oakland's President and CEO Bertram Lubin, MD. "Kaiser Permanente's grant will help ensure that our community's children continue to receive the very best health care."
Children's Oakland and Kaiser Permanente share a long history and strong commitment to serving Northern California communities. Since its inception in 1912, Children's Oakland has maintained its commitment to deliver specialized healthcare to all children in the region and beyond, regardless of a family's ability to pay. With no public pediatric hospital beds in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, Children's Oakland is the "safety net" hospital for both counties, in addition to caring for privately insured patients. In 2011, Children's Oakland provided more than $138 million in charity care and community benefit.
"Our support of Children's is an investment in the safety net and in the future of health care," said Gregory A. Adams, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Hospitals, Inc., in Northern California. "No single organization can meet all the growing needs in our communities, so it is important that business, government, non-profits and individuals work together to most effectively meet the challenges ahead."
Kaiser Permanente provided more than $808 million to support programs and services benefitting communities across Northern California in 2011. Its work with safety net organizations pairs grant funding with medical research, clinical advances and physician mentors.
In addition to operating the Bay Area's only Level 1 pediatric trauma center, Children's Oakland is committed to developing and supporting prevention-oriented programs designed to eliminate disparities in health outcomes between children of different ethnicities and economic groups. In addition, Children's Oakland's nationally recognized and competitive Pediatric Residency program is committed to increasing diversity in future pediatric health care leaders.
Children's Oakland announced plans for a multi-phased rebuild and modernization on its existing property estimated at $450 million in early 2012.
"Children's Oakland looks forward to continuing to provide outstanding patient care services to our community's children utilizing new, state-of-the-art facilities, and we are appreciative that community partners like Kaiser Permanente are helping us to achieve this goal," said Dr. Lubin.