The affiliation between Camino Medical Group and Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) benefits patients and our communities by further strengthening two already healthy organizations, enabling us to expand our community education and health promotion programs.

We have enhanced our access to technology and our community services in a way that would not be feasible for us as individual organizations.

The physicians from the Palo Alto Medical Clinic (PAMC) and Camino Medical Group (CMG) currently maintain their own identity under the common umbrella of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. However, in the future, the groups may combine to operate as one medical group with seamless health care access for our patients.

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with three health care regions: the Palo Alto region, the Camino region and the Santa Cruz region. Camino Medical Group operates as the "Camino region" of PAMF, a distinct operating unit. Because of the geographical closeness of CMG and the Palo Alto Clinic, there are operational linkages and joint-program opportunities that will benefit both organizations and increase services to patients.

Questions and Answers

Why the affiliation between Camino Medical Group and Palo Alto Medical Foundation?

For 50 years, Camino Medical Group (formerly Sunnyvale Medical Clinic) and the Palo Alto Clinic have been similar organizations providing high quality medical care to the patients of our communities. In addition, both organizations share a commitment to patient education, community service and research. In 1981, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation was created as a not-for-profit, community-based foundation that contracts with the Palo Alto Medical Clinic partnership for physician services.

With the continuing changes in health care, we believe there are real benefits in working together. Since our affiliation in 2000, the two groups have developed a number of joint programs and services. When the medical groups join together, patients - regardless of insurance type - will be able to see a physician at any Palo Alto Medical Foundation location. The continuous development of new technologies and the need for updated and innovative information systems are an additional opportunity to achieve economies of scale in managing the costs of these essential organizational needs.


What is the structure and governance of the affiliation?

Camino Medical Group is currently a distinct operating unit of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, responsible for its own patient care and personnel support services. The Camino Medical Group Board of Directors are also members of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Board of Trustees.


How will this relationship affect or benefit our patients?

There is no change in our patient-physician relationships. The affiliation enables us to continue to expand our patient care services, to modernize our facilities, and to purchase state-of-the-art equipment. Our commitment to patient education and research has been expanded as an essential component of our not-for-profit, community-benefit mission.

Can patients of CMG see doctors at the Palo Alto Clinic?

Patients who choose CMG as their site for medical care and have a HMO-type of insurance will need to continue seeing Camino Medical Group physicians as they do now. However, we are looking into ways in which patients with HMO insurance will be able to choose a physician in any of the PAMF locations.

How will this partnership affect El Camino Hospital?

The physicians of Camino Medical Group have admitted patients to El Camino Hospital since the hospital was built in 1962, and we do not anticipate any changes in hospital usage for inpatient care in the future.

Has CMG been sold to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF)?

No. CMG has affiliated with PAMF for long-term, strategic planning reasons to better serve our community. CMG and PAMF are financially sound and continue to grow. CMG is adding 34 new physicians this year.


What role does Sutter Health play in this affiliation?

Sutter Health is one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in Northern California. Sutter Health is composed of 26 hospitals, seven medical foundations, and a number of other health care related services; Sutter Health is not a health insurance company. Each affiliate of Sutter Health is accountable for its own operations and financial performance. When CMG affiliated with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, our relationship with Sutter Health began. We believe this association will provide opportunities to jointly develop programs and clinical initiatives to enhance the quality of patient care.

For additional information or questions, please call Administration at 650-934-7000 or the Patient Resource Center at 650-934-7080.