|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The outpatient laboratory at Kaiser Permanente’s Dublin Medical Offices and Cancer Center will shut its doors next month due to low usage, according to the health system.
Kaiser representatives assured members that their lab needs could be met nearby at its offices in Pleasanton or Livermore and that no other services were being changed at the six-year-old medical complex between Dublin Boulevard and Interstate 580 – after the wording in an initial announcement created some confusion among patients last week.
“Because of the low number of patients using outpatient lab services at the Dublin Medical Offices and Cancer Center, the Outpatient Laboratory is closing on April 6,” Kaiser said in a statement to the Pleasanton Weekly on Friday afternoon. “There is not enough use of the service there to keep it open full time, and having it open only part-time could cause inconvenience or even confusion for our patients.”
“No other services at the Dublin Medical Offices are affected by this change, including Cancer Center services. We will continue to serve the laboratory needs of the cancer center clinics,” the Kaiser statement added. “Members seeking laboratory services can continue to visit our Pleasanton or Livermore Medical Offices and can walk-in or make appointments conveniently at kp.org or via the KP app.”
The end of outpatient lab services in Dublin did not result in any job losses, as impacted lab employees were able to be relocated to other nearby facilities, according to Kaiser.
After the initial closure notice went out to Kaiser members via email, some speculated last week whether the cancer center – or overall facility – would also be shutting down.
“We want to inform you that our Outpatient Laboratory at the Dublin Medical Offices and Cancer Center will be closing on April 6. We understand that this may be an inconvenience and we sincerely appreciate your understanding,” the email message read.
While confirming that only the outpatient lab would be affected, Kaiser also affirmed to the Weekly it “remains committed to the Tri-Valley community … We always aim to provide our members with high-quality, convenient care. The Dublin Medical Offices and Cancer Center remains open and continues to serve our members.”
