High Plains Community Health Center Observes Double Anniversary

Lunch is Served

High Plains Community Health Center marked two observances with a free community barbecue this past Tuesday, August 11 at the clinic. National Health Center Week is observing 50 years of service August 9-15 and this fall will mark the center’s 20^th anniversary of serving the Prowers County area.

President/CEO, Jay Brooke, noted several areas in which the center has highlighted its medical services to the community, “Access to care and quality care covers several areas which can mean sliding fee scales for our patients, transportation and accessibility to provide medical services for our patients.” He said all of those items help provide increased access, adding, “Compared to national averages, we are above most health care centers in the country for diabetic and blood pressure patients and we have delivered on those points.”

Brooke noted that in the two decades, the staff has grown from just five persons to 105 for 2015, which has translated to broad based coverage for the community as well as having become an economic driver through the increased payroll. “We’ve steadily added more programs such as mental health issues, safe care programs, health coaching and our healthy places program.” He said that as the center identified more community health needs, the center was able to expand its services to meet those needs.

More expansion for the center has been planned with the addition of a pediatric clinic this year. Brooke said, “We are going to construct a clinic for Dr. Figlio and his staff adjacent to the Chronic Care facility to the south of the center and we’re opening bids today. In the next couple of weeks, we’ll have a better timetable on when we can get underway.”   A portion of the billing and records staff recently moved to the former Gobin’s Office Building on South 5^th Street and the center will have nine sites with the construction of the pediatric building. “We hope to be able to pay for the construction with out-of-pocket funds,” Brooke acknowledged, “but it will depend on the size of the bids for that determination.”

By Russ Baldwin