La Clinica’s work to provide safe and quick evaluation of people’s possible COVID-19 symptoms has given rise to a plan to help patients get immediate care for all sorts of sudden illnesses and injuries.
La Clinica is developing an acute care clinic at 616 Market St., just around the corner from the Wellness Center.
Slated to open in January, the new clinic initially will house the respiratory triage clinic, which has been the heart of La Clinica’s COVID-19 screening and testing efforts since March. Within a year, La Clinica aims to add a variety of acute care services for the quick treatment of infectious diseases and minor injuries. Eventually, the plan is to expand the roughly 1,500-square-foot building and offer wound care, sports physicals, well-child checks, initial visits for substance use care, and imaging.
“We’re looking to address the immediate need first and expand when COVID-19 isn’t the focus it is today,” said Chief Operations Officer Tara Kirk.
Remodeling the concrete-block building that has been used as storage and equipping it as a clinic will require an investment of nearly $900,000. Community support, including government and foundation grants, will enable La Clinica to create this clinic initially designed to deal with outbreaks of infectious disease.