To make it easier for patients to access care, the University of Virginia Medical Center will purchase an approximately 60,000-square-foot building at Fontaine Research Park to use entirely for outpatient clinics.

The Medical Center Operating Board and the Board of Visitors approved the purchase of 500 Ray C. Hunt Dr. at its meetings this week. The Medical Center will buy the building from the U.Va. Physicians Group; the final, fair market value price will be established based on the average of two appraisals.

The Medical Center plans to use the building to expand its ambulatory care services by renovating the upper floors to create additional clinics. Robert “Bo” Cofield, associate vice president for hospital and clinics operation, said purchasing and renovating the building will be less expensive than constructing a new clinic building.

The building is now home to several outpatient clinics as well as administrative space for the U.Va. Physicians Group. The Physicians Group offices are moving to the U.Va. Research Park, located off U.S. 29 in northern Albemarle County.

Current plans call for urology and cardiology to occupy the clinical space. The renovations would create more convenient locations for U.Va.’s urology clinics, which are currently located in the West Complex, across the street from U.Va.’s inpatient hospital. Outpatient cardiology clinics now located at the Northridge Medical Office Park, the Primary Care Center and University Hospital would be consolidated into one comprehensive location, freeing up existing space at the hospital and Northridge for other clinics.

Cofield said adding more clinics at Fontaine will improve both patient access and satisfaction. Fontaine Research Park is located near the intersection of U.S. 29 and Interstate 64, and all of the buildings at Fontaine have free, convenient parking.

Dr. Stephen P. Long, co-chair of the Medical Center Operating Board, was especially pleased about the planned space for the urology clinics. “They need to get a more user-friendly, state-of-the-art environment,” he said.