The Evolution of Camino Medical Group: Foundation for the Future

Recently, the physicians of the Camino Medical Group voted to join the physicians of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic and the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic in the formation of a new medical group. This new medical group, composed of more than 800 physicians, has been named the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. The name Camino Medical Group will no longer be used; our “brand identity” will shift to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation is recognized locally and nationally as an innovative, caring health care organization.

The Camino Medical Group has been providing high quality medical services to our patients for more than 50 years. We have grown steadily and are now recognized as one of the best medical groups in California. Eight years ago, we affiliated with the not-for-profit Palo Alto Medical Foundation. We are now in the process of fully integrating our operations. All of our non-physician employees became employees of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation on January 1, 2008.

Why change now? The Camino Medical Group organization is doing very well by all quality, operational and financial parameters at this time. However, the physicians and organizational leaders believe that by working together we can be even better. The benefits of the merged physician group will include a common electronic medical record system and the ability to offer seamless care to our patients across the entire Palo Alto Medical Foundation network from San Mateo to Santa Clara and from Fremont to Santa Cruz.

The reorganized group will work toward making it easier for patients to receive care at any Palo Alto Medical Foundation location, a plan that will go into effect later next year. Then, our patients will be able to have diagnostic testing performed at any of our office locations and will have access to specialists throughout the expanded organization for consultation and treatment planning. We will be combining our efforts to improve our management of chronic disease and will establish specialty “Programs of Excellence” throughout the region.

Our goal is to continuously provide excellent clinical care, with outstanding personalized service in a coordinated, convenient manner for all the residents of our community.

Sincerely,