A ribbon cutting tomorrow at Swedish Medical Center in Ballard will celebrate the opening of a new primary-care unit with an open house and tour of the newly remodeled space.

The event is not open to the public. A public open house will be scheduled for a future date.

This new primary-care clinic is the first at Swedish, and in the country, to open utilizing the medical home model exclusively from day one, which involves a patient-centered team of caregivers as well as information technology to provide better access for patients.

The clinic, which officially opens to the public on Tuesday, March 31, will serve as a Family Medicine Residency training site.The clinic is located on the fourth floor, east wing of the hospital.

Swedish is excited to pilot this project and offer this new model of health care to the community, according to Ed Boyle, Swedish Medical Center spokesman.

The event, at 5300 Tallman Ave. N.W., begins with opening remarks at 2 p.m. Friday, March 27.

Attendees will get a chance to meet the clinic staff, tour the newly remodeled space, and learn more about the medical home concept.

People in attendance for a ribbon cutting will include:

Mary Selecky, Secretary of Health for the Washington State Department of Health, who will say a few words and read a letter from Gov. Chris Gregoire; Dorothy Teeter, chief of health operations, Public Health for Seattle and King County; Jay Fathi, M.D., medical director, Primary Care and Community Health for Swedish; Mike Tuggy, M.D., medical director, Family Practice Residency Program, Swedish/First Hill; Carol Cordy, M.D., medical director, Swedish Community Health Medical Home Clinic; Dan Dixon, vice president of Government and Community Affairs for Swedish, who will speak and read a letter from Sen. Patty Murray; and Rayburn Lewis, M.D., executive director and medical director, Swedish/Ballard.