A new clinic for the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas opened to great fanfare Sunday. Through the course of the afternoon hundreds toured the 14,000-square-foot facility that includes 13 exam rooms, eight dental exam rooms and an in-house pharmacy with drive-up window service.
The clinic, 251 N. State St., provides physical, dental and mental health services for all ages and levels of income, those with health insurance or not.
In remarks after the dedication, Dr. Glen Singer, who retired in January after practicing medicine in Iola for 35 years, said working at the clinic was the most rewarding of his career.
It was so nice to be able to treat patients without concern whether they could pay for their visit or their medicine, he said. That allowed me to focus solely on the patient and their needs.
Singer and Dr. Brian Wolfe, sold their practice in 2013 to join the safety net clinic network, based out of Pittsburg.
In opening remarks, Krista Postai, chief officer of the CHCSEK, dedicated the building to Drs. Singer and Wolfe. They took a huge leap of faith and we are forever grateful, said Postai. They have been instrumental in changing the culture of health in this community. That is their legacy.
In 2015, Dr. Chuck Wanker joined the staff as a family physician and in 2016, Dr. Dawny Barnhart came on as a psychiatrist.
The CHCSEK operates 12 clinics across the region. Io-las is the only satellite clinic to have a pharmacy, after the flagship model in Pittsburg.
We designed the building with the needs of our patients and the community in mind, said Postai. A place that is truly patient-centered where you can have a physical, your teeth cleaned and your prescriptions filled in one stop.
The Iola site began as a dental clinic in 2008. As weve added more services, including medical and mental health, we reached capacity quickly, Postai said. We anticipate adding more healthcare professionals and support staff over the next few years, adding that two pharmacists, including Iola native Brad Bazo, are joining the staff this month. The pharmacy will open in August.
We have room to grow, and we intend to do just that, Postai said.
The Iola clinic treats an estimated 7,000 patients across a four-county area with about 22,000 visits a year, said Jason Wesco, vice president of the CHC.
The CHCSEK is a federally qualified health center that receives discounted medicines and reimbursements from the federal government to help pay for the treatment of those on limited incomes. Grants from foundations also help make ends meet.
A special touch to the $2.8 million facility is the local art of photographer Jonathan Adams, husband to Dr. Barnhart. Along the hallways and in the exam rooms are large photographs of local scenery and architecture.
Its a new love thats taken off, Adams said.
