UCR Health announced on Tuesday, June 3, a major expansion of its clinical footprint, with a signed letter of intent targeting an initial 21 acres in Riverside at the intersection of Valley Springs Parkway and Gateway Drive. The vision for the site will include an outpatient diagnostic center and possible future expansion.

The announcement is the largest step by UCR Health toward a full healthcare footprint in the Inland Empire, which contends with both explosive population growth and an inadequate supply of primary and specialty-care physicians.

“This day is about celebrating a future. We’re announcing a signed letter of intent to build a robust medical center complex right here on this spot,” UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox said at the June 3 event, which was attended by more than 100 people. “The longer-term hope is a teaching hospital of the type that will make a mark in America, just like our sister campuses have done with their medical centers.”

Tim Collins, chief executive officer for UCR Health, said the expansion will mean better access to primary and specialty care; ready access for medical students to residencies in a UCR Health facility, and income to support growth.

“We have developed a potential plan to build a clinically integrated network that brings together UCR Health providers and key community partners,” Collins said. “This network is designed to bridge gaps in care and ensure patients have access to comprehensive, high-quality services close to home. By aligning with like-minded organizations and providers including neighboring UC Health affiliates — UCSD Health, UCI Health, and UCLA Health — we can offer a broader spectrum of care, improve coordination, and expand our clinical footprint across the region.”

The Inland Empire, with a population of more than 4.6 million, has about 40 primary care physicians per 100,000 people, well short of the 60-80 recommended by the California Health Care Foundation.

“The University of California is working to increase the reach of our exceptional medical providers and improve health care for more people across our state,” said UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “This expansion at UC Riverside will help broaden the clinical footprint at UCR and establish a regional health sciences campus that serves as a hub for innovation, making world class care more accessible to Inland Empire communities.”

UCR Health’s presence on the site is proposed to grow over the next decade with possible options to lease more space from an additional 22 acres of land. Any expansion will be subject to legal and regulatory requirements.

The lease is in partnership with TDA Investments, which manages a 95-acre tract known as Canyon Springs Market Place on behalf of the Construction Laborers Pension Trust for Southern California.

“When we looked at this land, we saw more than just acres of open space. We saw opportunity,” said Paula Purcell, who recently retired as executive vice president of TDA and was critical to executing the agreement with UCR Health. “It was in the right location, surrounded by communities in need, and just 5 miles up the road stood the University of California – one of the most respected institutions in the world – which had just launched a School of Medicine.”

UCR Health, which sees more than 45,000 patients annually, is the healthcare provider component of the UCR School of Medicine. The beginnings of the School of Medicine date to 1974 with a partnership with UCLA. UCR opened its own medical school in 2013, graduating its first class in 2017.

Since its launch in 2013, the medical school has graduated 454 physicians, with 26% completing their residencies in the Inland Empire as of 2024. Typically, up to three-fourths of the accepted School of Medicine students each year have ties to the Inland Empire, and almost half come from underrepresented communities. The school hosts pathway programs that support more than 1,200 students on their path to medical school and health or science professions.

In fall 2023, the School of Medicine completed its largest expansion by opening a 95,476-square-foot education building. The building allows the school to grow its classes from 80 to 125 medical students.

Article written by John Warren and originally published on news.ucr.edu.