Ketchum Health University Eye Center

Ketchum University envisioned growth beyond traditional Optometry, and partnered with Westgroup Designs to deliver an unparalleled collaborative practice experience for its three health professions programs while providing one-stop-shop healthcare services to the community.
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Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) is home to the Southern California College of Optometry, the School of Physician Assistant Studies and the College of Pharmacy. They also own and operate two premier eye and vision care centers in Southern California, providing excellence in patient care, clinical education and research. Founded as an optometric institution in 1904, the growing demand for highly skilled health care professions led them to envision growth beyond traditional optometry. Wanting to enhance the delivery of both their educational programs and healthcare services, they partnered with Westgroup Designs to strategically expand their existing facilities.

MKBU and Westgroup Designs collaborated on the strategy for their expanded facilities and the solution became clear: An off-campus inter-professional health care center, Ketchum Health. Ketchum Health is the beginning of the University’s implementation of their long-term vision:

1. Ketchum Health will be the new home of the existing on-campus University Eye Center. In a space almost double its previous size, the clinic will provide enhanced services in primary care, cornea and contact lenses, ocular disease, pediatric eye care, vision therapy and low vision.
2. Ketchum Health will also support the University’s vision to grow beyond optometry with additional space to offer general medical practice and pharmacy services, allowing the University’s physician assistant and pharmacy students to participate in patient care.
3. The University Eye Center’s previous 29,000 sf space on campus will be renovated into additional academic classrooms and laboratories for collaborative and integrated learning by the University’s three health professions programs.

Providing site selection, programming, architecture and interior design services, Westgroup Designs worked with the University to secure a three-story, 80,000 sf building close to campus in Anaheim, and designed and delivered its renovation for Ketchum Health. The tenant improvement encompasses the 55,000 sf University Eye Center clinic, 17,500 sf University Administration, 2,250 sf Optical retail store, and 5,250 sf general practice and pharmacy. We strategically designed the building’s wayfinding to quickly orient rotating health professionals and visitors with low visual acuity by distinguishing each department with a different color (blue, green or purple) and incorporating lighting as beacons at the converging points of navigation. Artwork is provided by MBKU’s 11th annual juried art show, featuring 29 blind, legally blind, and visually impaired artists, as well as five community artists.

“It is a proud moment for MBKU. Ketchum Health is helping us reimagine the future of health care education. I look forward to delivering world-class patient care in this state-of-the-art facility,” said University President Kevin L. Alexander, OD, PhD.

The design of Ketchum Health delivers an unparalleled collaborative practice experience for MBKU’s optometry, physician assistant and pharmacy students, and expanded one-stop-shop health care offerings to the Southern California community.