In early 2023 the Laguna Beach Community Clinic held a public Open House to celebrate its fully renovated medical home. The renovation, a $1.5 million project and two years in the making, was led by Ken Mockett, owner of Pacific Orca.
Thanks to an outpouring of donor support, the Clinic, functionally and aesthetically, is now equal to the excellent medical services provided by its physicians and nurses.
The modernized Clinic includes a pharmacy, lab, triage room, and private check-in, as well as fully refurnished lobby and patient exam rooms. The minimalistic interior design is enhanced by the photography of Laguna’s beaches and canyons from local artists.
The centerpiece of the renovation is the Bonnie and Arnold Hano Nutrition Center, located on the second floor. The spacious center includes a well-equipped kitchen and meeting area with state-of-the-art virtual communications technology for in-person and remote instruction.
The Clinic has been serving the community for over 50 years. In 1970 “The Clinic”, as it is referred to by locals, was born. It began with a group of volunteer physicians and local activists who believed in access to health care regardless of one’s ability to pay.
By the mid-80s it adopted a sliding fee scale, and started to receive major grants for its groundbreaking work in HIV/AIDS education, testing and treatment led by Dr. Korey Jorgensen.
Another milestone was achieved in 1994 when the Clinic purchased its own building, a facility that today includes a pharmacy, lab, and dental offices.
Dr. Tom Bent took the helm in 2002, navigating the Clinic through the challenges of expanding its scope of services to meet a growing patient population. Thanks in large part to Dr. Bent’s infectious commitment to community health, he was able to recruit a team of medical professionals who, like him, have been recognized by their peers for achievements in their field of practice.
In 2016 the torch was passed to Jorge Rubal, MD, MBA. He successfully securely placed the Clinic on a path to financial sustainability through achieving a Federally Qualified Health Center designation for the Clinic. This created a significant boost in government reimbursements.
In 2018, the Clinic’s Board of Directors and Management team embarked on an ambitious growth strategy to care for more patients and offer them a better experience.
Today the Clinic welcomes patients to a modern and efficient Medical Home that provides a full spectrum of health care services onsite. In its more than 50 years of service the Clinic as established itself as an institute of excellence that the community can rely on
