Antelope Valley’s Expanding Medical Centers

Portions contributed by Jim Skeen in AV Press article Palmdale Regional Medical Center opened in December 2010, it ended Palmdale's 14 years of being the largest city in California without a hospital. According to a recent AV Press article the facility has 157 beds and can increase to 230. According to the article, the region does have to do a better job at building up the number of primary care physicians. There appears to be a lack of initial care facilities, and not more primary care facilities, but not enough primary care doctors. We previously wrote about the new Kaiser Medical center in Lancaster. It will open this month on 5th Street West at Ave L. This is an expansion for Kaiser as they have been in the area since the late 60’s. They have expanded this past decade as well with a Palmdale clinic in 2003, and expanded the Lancaster facility in 2008. Part of the need for this growth by Kaiser is its own growth. They have over 100,000 members in the valley today with over 10 increase over this past decade. Antelope Valley Hospital on 60th West near the prison was the main hospital in the Valley for decades. It currently serves about 200,000 patients. It has been the only full service facility in the Valley for decades. The AV Press article indicated that there are lack of mental health facilities in the valley. Due in part to the lack of psychiatrists. Our research has shown that Psychiatry has become merely a pharma drug pushing practice. They have gone away from the talk therapy, and happy left the lobotomies, electric shock treatments and strait-jackets in their past. Just this past June High Desert Regional Health Center Opened a $141.5 million High Desert Regional Health Center opened at Avenue I and Third Street East, which is run by LA Dept. of Health. Antelope Valley has seen a number of medical groups, and hospitals open or expand. This shows that these facilities see populations expanding in the valley spurning growth of these facilities. Growth and expansion is what the Antelope Valley needs to ensure a vibrant future.