Here’s what is new at Columbia Road Health Services.

Health Center Officially Expands
(written October 10, 2003)

In September 2002, Columbia Road Health Services was awarded federal funding to expand our services to the poor, low-income, and uninsured.

One year later, the hard work and planning has finally paid off. On Monday, September 29, 2003, Columbia Road Health Services officially kicked off its long-awaited expansion.

This is good news for our community, which has been designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area because there is an insufficient number of primary care providers to serve the community.

The principal focus of Columbia Road Health Services’ expansion plan is an increase in hours during evenings and weekends. The clinic is now open Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. These new hours, which constitute a 17-hour increase over our old schedule, offer flexibility to patients who cannot miss work or school.

Results from the first 10 days show that Columbia Road Health Services’ new hours have already attracted 37 new patients.

“I’m really happy that we can offer these expanded hours and services to people in our community,” says Mary Ellen Zook, Columbia Road Health Services Nurse Administrator. “They’re working during [weekdays] or have other responsibilities that make it difficult for them to get to the doctor.”

But to offer these additional hours, Columbia Road Health Services needed to hire additional staff. In all, we have welcomed 13 new staff members (some due to expansion and some to normal attrition). Among these talented men and women are two physicians, a nurse practitioner, four medical assistants, a case manager, a receptionist, and a security guard (due to our late hours).

These new staff members offer more than care to our patients. They bring new ideas and energy that will invigorate our health service and positively impact the level of care we provide.

Angela Rossó, Columbia Road Health Services Case Manager agrees. “With the diversity and experience that these [new staff] bring, we can offer a more well-rounded program and better address the issues among our patients.”

Inevitably, with the change and excitement of expansion come growing pains, and Columbia Road Health Services President Allen Goetcheus understands the challenges that can accompany the mass arrival of new staff.

“As institutions grow, they sometimes lose the original vision,” he explains. “We need to maintain our mission and share with them the dream [that started Columbia Road Health Services]. They need to know the history here so that they can help tell the story.”