Hundreds welcome UCI Health Medical Group to Tustin and Orange

More than 500 people from Tustin, Orange, Santa Ana and Irvine visited Saturday’s grand opening celebration of two new, state-of-the-art UCI Health Medical Group primary care offices in Tustin and Orange. The family-friendly event was held at Tustin office, 1451 Irvine Boulevard, and featured free flu shots, blood pressure screenings, tours of the new center, face painting, music, healthy snacks and a chance to enter a drawing to win an iPad mini.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks by Terry A. Belmont, CEO of UC Irvine Medical Center. Tustin Mayor Al Murray, Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer and Assembly Member Don Wagner also delivered remarks and presented certificates and proclamations welcoming UCI Health to the community. Representatives from Senator Mimi Walters’ office were also in attendance to present a certificate on her behalf.

Physicians from both the Tustin and Orange locations were on hand to meet new patients, greet long-standing patients and answer questions.

“The opportunity to interact with so many members of the community outside of a traditional office visit is a very meaningful, personal way to let them know that we are here to better serve them and their families by bringing exceptional care close to home,” said Dr. Sajee Lekawa, medical director of UCI Health Medical Group. “Our patients have access to world-class clinical services, and more than 500 specialists at UCI Health.”

UCI Health physicians, nurses and other healthcare experts hosted information stations, offering health screenings and providing a more detailed description about their specialty services.

Both the Tustin and Orange locations feature family and internal medicine plus laboratory services. The Tustin center also offers pediatrics, rheumatology, imaging services and urgent care. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Urgent care services are offered from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

The Orange office is located at 293 S. Main Street, Suite 200 and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In October 2013, UCI Health and MemorialCare Health system created an affiliation to develop primary care centers across Orange County. The new centers complement existing UCI Health primary care practices at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange and the Gottschalk Medical Plaza on the UC campus in Irvine.

Photo: Dr. Sajee Lekawa, right, greets a visitor to the UCI Health Medical Group open house on Nov. 15.