- A new healthcare facility is opening at The Kearney Center through a partnership with Doctors United who will be leasing the space.
- Doctors United will have primary care practitioners on-site to help people with no or low insurance get access to prescriptions and lab work.
- Watch the video to find out when the new facility will open.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new healthcare center is in the works for the Kearney Center. For the first time since Covid, there will be a primary healthcare practitioner on site. That's as the center notices a rise in the number of unhoused seniors in need of support in our community.
The medical wing of the Kearney Center has been closed since Covid, except for over-the-counter medication support; it's about to get a whole new upgrade.
"Doctors United will be coming in and assuming our medical facility, they will be providing primary care for anyone who has insurance, doesn't have insurance, unsheltered, or in a vulnerable housing situation," said Executive Director of the Kearney Center, Sonya Wilson.
Wilson said the aim of this collaboration is 2 fold: to relieve strain on EMS services and to meet the needs of the increasing number of elderly clients they serve.
Whitney Green-Cox is a medical assistant here.
Right now, her capacity is limited to administering over-the-counter medicine. Still, she sees about 30 people a day.
"Right now, we pass out a lot of over-the-counter meds, but Tylenol is not going to always get you what you need when you need to be in a facility where you need somebody to take care of you 24/7," said Green-Cox.
Green-Cox said, right now, she has to refer clients to the hospital if they have symptoms like high blood pressure; a trip she says they often fear due to high bills.
"But when Doctors United get here, we can treat you for high blood pressure," said Green-Cox. "You can just take that blood pressure medicine, lay down for a little while, rest, and we can recheck it."
Wilson said the rollout will take place in four phases, with final completion in the fall. Eventually, Wilson said they will have doctors and nurses in the building from 6am until 2am.
Wilson said Doctors United will be leasing the space, generating revenue for the Center. That's as previous ABC 27 stories have reported changes at the Center to cope with funding concerns.
"It's going to free up money for the community and the taxpayers," said Wilson. "It's going to free up a little extra money every month for us as well."
Wilson said the ribbon cutting is planned for early July, adding Doctors United will be visiting this month to continue renovations and preparations for the opening.
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