L.A. Dodgers icon Tommy Lasorda was among the honored guests at the groundbreaking ceremony on May 30 for the Orthopaedic Institute for Children’s (OIC) $10 million, 13,000 square foot Ambulatory Surgery Center. The event took place at OIC’s downtown L.A. Outpatient Medical Center (403 W. Adams Blvd.).

OIC is a world leader in pediatric orthopaedic care, education and research, and is renowned for treating the full spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. The OIC Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) will be the region’s first stand-alone facility specifically designed to only provide outpatient orthopaedic surgical care to children. With two operating rooms, and six pre-and post-surgical suites, it will help to reduce surgery wait times for children in need of orthopaedic surgery.

“Our new Ambulatory Surgery Center, set to open in spring 2016, will enable us to treat even more children, and will significantly help to reduce the potential for serious injury and permanent damage,” said Orthopaedic Institute for Children President and CEO Anthony A. Scaduto.

Last year, OIC received 60,000 patient visits and placed casts on 10,000 children. While many of these children are underinsured or uninsured, they are never turned away by OIC because of inability to pay.

Dr. Scaduto added, “Having to wait for much-needed orthopaedic surgery keeps kids sidelined and unable to lead active lives. With the new ASC, we will expand their access to care, and continue to provide them with best pediatric orthopaedic treatments.”

The Ambulatory Surgery Center is funded through a capital campaign. To date the campaign has raised $6 million of the anticipated $10 million to complete the center.

By the end of the ceremony, just over $400,000 was raised from the stand up for kids live auction, silent auction, and Dodger luxury raffle. The campaign surpassed the $6.5 million mark.