Increased Demand Calls for Bigger Health Care Center

Health Center Expansion (Added: June 16, 2010)

An increasing number of Central Ohio patients is forcing a community health care center to expand. A federal grant will help build new building and provide more services. (more)

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By: Candice Lee | NBC4i.com
Published: June 16, 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio --

An increasing number of Central Ohio patients is forcing a community health care center to expand. A federal grant will help build new building and provide more services.

Leah Harrington is just one of many Central Ohioans who come to the Capital Park Family Health Center for their medical care.

"It's inexpensive here for me because I don't have insurance. So it would really be a big problem for me if this place wasn't here," Harrington told NBC 4.

In 2008, Community Health Centers like Capital Park provided care to more than 415,000 Ohioans and recorded more than 1,400,000 patient visits. Collectively, Community Health Care Centers are the largest health care system in the nation. In many areas of Ohio, Community Health Care Centers are the only source of health care for Medicaid patients and the uninsured.

Heart of Ohio Family Health Centers opened the 1,700 square-foot Agler Road facility in 2003. By 2005, they had 1,500 patients. Today, the numbers stands at 3,000 with a six- to eight-week waiting list. And it is the increasing number of patients from the Northland Area that's forcing them to build a bigger health center.

The new center will sit at the corner of Innis and Westerville roads and will open in 2011. The center will be at least 15,000 square feet, according to Heart of Ohio CEO Joy Parker.

"Our hope is that we will get enough operatin money to support our primary care providers, but also dental, OB-GYN and behavioral services," explained Parker.

To pay for the new building, Parker said they applied for a federal grant. More than 600 health centers nationwide competed for monies. Heart of Ohio's Innis Road facility was one of 85 to get funding. They have $4.4 million to spend. Ultimately, it's a huge win for patients who go without healthcare.

"It will probably take year or so, but I think our goal would be to double the number of patients that have access to care," said Parker.

Community Health Centers have provided documented results;