“What we’re doing here is a celebration,” intoned Andy Anderson, CEO, San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce, at the Nov. 12 open house ribbon cutting for the new Loma Linda University Health primary care and cardiology office in Hemet. He was greeted by warm applause from a crowd of local residents, many of whom seemed eager to become patients at the new office.
Although the start time for the open house was scheduled for 4:30 p.m., people started to arrive before 4:00 p.m. Later, attendees lined the hallways and queued up at the front door.
“It’s much more than I expected,” David Wren, senior vice president, faculty practice, Loma Linda University Health, remarked of the crowd. “It’s an exciting opportunity to have another office location out in an area that is clearly eager to have us here.”
Peter Baker, vice president for business development, Loma Linda University Health System, echoed Wren’s sentiments: “Hemet is an area we’ve been wanting to reach out to for a long time. I’m excited at the community support for Loma Linda here.”
Many attendees lined up to meet Allen Liu, MD, the primary care physician at the new office. People also toured the clinic, enjoyed refreshments and entered the prize drawing for an iPad Mini. At the end of the night, there were 154 drawing entries, an indicator of the great turnout for the open house.
Loma Linda University Health System family medical group and cardiology will provide services at the new office, which officially opened its doors in April 2014. The office is located at 603 E. Latham Avenue in Hemet, and the phone number is 951-658-3134.
Roger Woodruff, MD, chair, family medical group, summed up the opening of the new office by saying: “After seeing patients for many years at Loma Linda, we’re delighted now to be serving them in their own community.”