Fontana
The birthplace of Kaiser in Southern California
Kaiser Permanente's Fontana Medical Center first opened its doors as a World War II health care program for the families of steel mill workers. By 1953, we'd become a full-fledged medical center. Today, we're a state-of-the-art teaching hospital providing a full continuum of care to nearly 401,960 culturally diverse members throughout San Bernardino County, and we're continuing to grow. We're currently renovating our Fontana hospital and, by 2013, the 482,078-square-foot replacement facility will enable us to offer an even more impressive selection of programs and services. Designed to take advantage of the healing properties of natural light and the outdoors, the 314-bed Fontana replacement hospital will be one of the largest in the Inland Empire.
Building a brand new medical center for Ontario
To better serve our members in western San Bernardino County, Kaiser Permanente is also building a new, state-of-the-art facility in the city of Ontario. Scheduled to open in 2011, the Ontario Medical Center will be designed with plenty of natural light and garden areas to help promote a peaceful, healing environment. The scenic campus will house a 386,000-square-foot, 224-bed hospital with private rooms for patients and a 36-bed emergency department, a 28-bed NICU and an 8-bed PICU. An attached, 3-story medical office building will further expand Ontario Medical Center's specialty services, and will include cardiology, nephrology, OB/GYN, orthopedics, dermatology, urology, physical medicine and several other departments.
Connected to the Fontana community
Kaiser Permanente's Fontana Medical Center works hand-in-hand with our community to help people live well, be well and thrive. We're proud to be part of San Bernardino County, and have built strong partnerships with local organizations to launch and maintain an array of health and wellness initiatives that extend beyond our four walls to benefit the communities we serve. We worked as the catalyst in the formation of the Community Clinic Association of San Bernardino County, which affords our local community clinics greater funding and resource sharing. Our physicians' volunteerism enabled a local community clinic to offer Saturday hours, thereby increasing access to primary care services. Additionally, we host a Free Community Surgery Day, gleaning our surgical candidates from a pool of community clinic patients who have severely limited opportunities to obtain needed surgeries. Our annual community benefit grants awards average $450 thousand dollars to support programs that address primary and specialty care access, and lifestyle risks such as obesity and smoking. Our in kind donations of surplus equipment have outfitted an array of organizations ranging from community clinics to nursing schools to nature centers. We also offer a variety of community volunteer opportunities, provide educational programs, share medical expertise and support the activities of local non-profit organizations.
The heart of the Inland Empire
Located midway between the bustling metropolis of Los Angeles and the famous resort town of Palm Springs, Fontana is at the heart of the Inland Empire. Founded in 1913, our ever-expanding community boasts one of the fastest-growing economies in Southern California. Fontana and the surrounding areas offer affordable housing in suburban, mountain and desert settings. For those who like to get out and explore, we're conveniently located near two major freeways and to Ontario International Airport, which offers commercial air service to many destinations and major airports in the country.
As a member of the Fontana community, you'll be able to enjoy:
- Southern California's famous mountains, beaches, lakes and deserts—all within driving distance
- An impressive selection of nearby colleges and universities, including the University of California, Riverside; California State University, San Bernardino; the University of Redlands; the five Claremont Colleges and Graduate University; and several junior and community colleges
- Local and regional golf, tennis, fishing, camping, horseback riding, skiing, hiking and more
- An abundance of summer and winter outdoor activities courtesy of the communities of Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear, Wrightwood, Mammoth, Lake Perris and Idyllwild
- Major league action with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
- Minor league baseball in nearby Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino
- The NASCAR Sprint Cup and several other auto racing events at the Auto Club Speedway
- Live dinner theater at the renovated historic Center Stage Theatre
- Art classes, open studio activities and special events at the Art Depot, one of our city's original community centers
- Fontana Park, a beautiful municipal park featuring a spacious community center, aquatic center, state park and several playgrounds
- Environmental education activities, self-guided hiking trails and more at the Mary Vagle Science and Nature Center
- An array of shopping venues plus excellent eateries, restaurants and cafes
- All the excitement Las Vegas has to offer, just four hours away
- World-famous cultural and entertainment attractions available in neighboring communities, including Palm Springs
Known as the "City of Action," Fontana is proud of its entrepreneurial spirit and long-standing history of economic growth. Our central location, scenic surroundings and affordable cost-of-living make us a great place to call home.
