Highmark Breaks Ground On North Hills Medical Mall

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A one-stop shop medical mall is coming to the North Hills.

Highmark announced on Thursday that it will construct an all-purpose medical facility off Perry Highway in Wexford.

Highmark officials, supporters, and other dignitaries broke ground not once, but twice, on the construction of the 174,000 square-foot medical mall in Wexford.

"I've always focused on a patient-centered health care system. It's what we need to strive for. It's a goal for us," Highmark CEO Dr. Bill Winkenwerder said.

Now led by Dr. Winkenwerder, it's another sign that Highmark intends to compete with UPMC as a health care provider.

Dr. Winkenwerder calls this North Hills medical mall one-stop shopping, which is a point reiterated by other physicians.

"A true medical mall is really a one-stop shop for our patients. It's a community resource for the patient, a full service center where our patients come in for comprehensive care from A to Z," Dr. Allan Klapper with the West Penn Allegheny Health System said.

The proposed medical mall will include primary and specialty care, pediatrics, a women's care center, lab and pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, basic and advanced imaging, and medical and radiation oncology.

Highmark said all will be top-notch, as one of West Penn Allegheny's top cancer docs pledged,

"We will bring the best of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, the National Cancer Institute right here and provide expert care for patients," Dr. David Parda said.

That's quite a claim, but one which cancer patients will be delighted to hear.

The medical mall will also have a child care center so that parents can drop off their children while undergoing tests or meeting with medical professionals.

Highmark would not disclose how much this complex will cost, but it is expected to be completed by the summer of 2014.