Medical Center to Expand Laboratory

OCEANSIDE, CA—One of North County’s largest medical centers is movingforward with plans to expand its clinical facility rather than see itsaccreditation yanked by a national medical organization.

The board of Tri-City Medical Center approved the expansion of the10,000-sf clinical and pathology clinic by another 3,500 sf. About $1.8million in bond money will help fund the expansion.

Dr. Art Gonzalez, chief operating officer of the medical center, says hewill accept bids on the work in January and hopes to have the workcompleted within a few months. The College of American Pathologists hasconsidered taking away the hospital’s accreditation due to inadequatework space in the laboratory, hospital officials say.

The hospital has been dinged twice in recent years for failing to followthrough with plans to expand the facility, officials add.