OPEN DOORCELEBRATING 40 YEARS • QUALITY HEALTHCARE • ACCESS for ALL

THE WHOLE PERSON

“Sometimes there just aren’t words for what a person is feeling," says Shari Marchesi, a Eureka

Community Health Center (ECHC) patient. “I know what I’m going through emotionally affects my health overall, and my physical health certainly infl u-ences my psychological well-being.” Shari can speak fi rst hand to the success of the team approach to care used at ECHC. “My whole health care team is here. They all communicate with each other and with me as we work to meet my unique needs. I’m a registered nurse and I am constantly impressed with the care I receive here. I’ve experienced serious trauma in my life and together with my care team I’m addressing my physical and emotional needs, and working towards wellness goals.”

Community Health Centers

Sydney Fisher LarsonChair, Board of Directors

Most of the members of the Board of Directors of Open Door are also patients of Open Door. Just like you, we live, work, play and need health care in this community. As Board Members, we understand the chal-lenges of providing quality health care in a rural area. That is why we take our roles so seriously. We want every member of our community to have access to quality care, and we’re doing a good job: on any given day, more than 700 people are seen for care in an Open Door clinic; over the course of a year, more than 1 out of every 4 peo-ple in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties – our friends, coworkers and neighbors – use an Open Door clinic.

In this issue, we are highlighting the Eureka Community Health Center and the Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center, both located on Buhne in Eureka. These two clinics will relocate to the new clinic we are building on Tydd Street in Eureka, scheduled for opening in September 2012. This new

continued on page 5 ➤continued on page 8 ➤

Eureka Community Health Center

Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center

continued on page 2 ➤

IN MY EXPERIENCE

Lab Lead Lisa Short with patient

INCREASING THE RANGE OF SERVICES

Open Door’s Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center (TVSC) is right across the parking lot

from the Eureka Community Health Center on Buhne Street. TVSC opened in 2005, and while it is one of Open Door’s smallest facilities, it offers the most diverse range of services, including eve-ning and Saturday walk-in clinics as well as pediat-rics, family medicine, and specialty care.

“Before TVSC, many of our patients were not able to get specialty care locally. They had to travel to Sacramento or San Francisco, and many folks couldn’t afford that,” says Sandi Colivas, TVSC offi ce manager. “Having specialists right here has opened up the opportunity for our pro-viders to deliver the complete range of care our

TVSC’s Offi ce Manager Sandi Colivas (left) and Site Administrator Sherri Provolt

OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 1

patients require.” Sandi explains, “Our specialty providers include an allergist, dermatologist, or-thopedist, gynecologist, ophthal-mologist, pulmonologist, pediatric behavioral health specialist, a spe-cialist in HIV and Hepatitis C care, a diabetic educator, psychiatrists, and an expanded cardiology and heart health program. These ser-vices are available to established ODCHC patients by referral from their primary care provider. Open Door patients with private insur-ance are usually referred directly to the specialist, but for those without insurance, or who use pub-lic insurance, this opens up a whole range of services.”

“Open Door family physicians are great, and they handle a wide vari-ety of health needs, but there are conditions where a specialist is the appropriate provider,” explains Bill Hunter, Open Door’s Chief Medical Offi cer. “TVSC gives us that op-tion.” Darlene Coop, TVSC Medi-cal Assistant notes, “This clinic is geared to specialty care. The sup-port staff is cross-trained and able to work with a range of providers and patient needs. It is a huge asset for the community.” Sandi adds, “We work in health care and we use health care ourselves as well. As staff we know how we want to be treated when we go to the doctor, and we try to approach each patient with a sense of caring and concern. We work to create a positive environment. We want our patients to feel excited and re-lieved that they can get the special care they need right here.”

“In addition to the full slate of specialist services we also of-fer evening and Saturday urgent

care clinics at TVSC,” says Sherri Provolt, site administrator for ECHC and TVSC. “If it’s not a life-threatening situation, we want our patients to call us before going to the emergency room. Our priority is to have you see your primary care provider or a member of the same care team if we can. If we can’t do that, we have the TVSC evening clinic available so you can be seen the day you call. You don’t have to be an established Open Door patient to use our evening clinic. It is a walk-in clinic, but we suggest calling fi rst.”

HEART CAREBrandi Shipman has been a medi-

cal assistant with Open Door for seven years, and at TVSC the last two years. She is personally invest-ed in the specialty care provided at TVSC, particularly her work with the expanded cardiology program, including the newly established Heart Failure Clinic. “Eight years ago my dad had a heart transplant. The care he received at Stanford was amazing. Our family had every-thing we needed. I want to provide that same level of concern and care to others. I try to give our patients my absolute attention because they deserve it. We talk about concerns, fears and needs, and I can bring together the resources to address these issues.”

Under the guidance of David Ploss, MD, Board Certifi ed Cardiolo-gist, the TVSC cardiology and heart health program is open to ODCHC patients referred by their primary care physicians. Other low-income and publicly-insured patients are accommodated as possible. “Our care team is a vital local resource

for Open Door pa-tients, and we’ve worked hard to expand the number of patients we can serve.”

Dr. Ploss provides a half-day clinic each week and Charmaine Mosher-Carbiener, a nurse prac-titioner who has trained extensively with Dr. Ploss, sees patients in the cardiol-ogy clinic a full day each week. “We see patients for on-going consultation, follow-up servic-es and care management,” explains Charmaine. “We review the incom-ing referrals and work to get the most critical cases in right away.” The care team has been providing crucial services to patients with congestive heart failure for some time and is launching a Heart Failure Clinic next week for patients who have experienced heart failure and require ongoing follow-up services. “We believe we can improve the quality of life and reduce the num-ber of subsequent hospitalizations for patients who have experienced heart failure. Our goal is to help patients maintain the best health

continued from page 1Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center

possible. At the Heart Failure Clinic, we check the patient’s vital signs, review pre-scriptions and medica-tion use, and offer tools for self-care. Our patients can do so much to help them-selves and enjoy life again. We work with patients to establish a care plan for optimal quality of life. We’re

doing some of our work in a group setting. We believe patients learn good things from each other. They speak from experience and give each other important support.”

Brandi Shipman notes, “We make sure the patient and the patient’s primary care provider have up-to-date medical records regarding the work we do at TVSC. We strive for continuity of care at all levels and we want everyone to be informed. Our patients often bring family members. Patients and their families need to be a part of the team, and that requires honest information. We’re proud of the communication within our team and the care our patients receive.”

Nurse Practitioner Charmaine Mosher-Carbiener (left) and Medical Assistant Brandi Shipman (center) with cardiology patient Sam

2 OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011

LIVING WITH DIABETESLinda Cade, nurse practitioner and

certifi ed diabetic educator works to help diabetic patients manage their illness and improve the quality of their lives. “My approach is to help take people from where they are to where they want to be. I don’t believe there are non-compliant patients, though in many instances patients haven’t been introduced to the care plans that are right for them. I collaborate with my patients and their primary care providers in the clinics to create a care plan specifi c for each individual. Patients make their own decisions about what they feel they can accomplish, and we help them move toward their goals. My role in ODCHC is unique; I see diabetic patients exclusively. The best part of my job is helping diabet-ic patients understand how to man-age their illness, feel autonomous, and gain control of their health.”

Linda also leads an education group for patients newly diagnosed with diabetes. “People need reas-surance, they need education and

tools they can take home and use to manage their disease. Diabetes is manageable; that is the big mes-sage.” Linda also keeps an eye on another big message. “Working with our patients to manage their dis-ease ultimately benefi ts us all. Well-managed diabetes costs the patient, the community and the healthcare system much less than does unman-aged illness. We’re making a real difference in our patients’ lives, and they're helping to make a real differ-ence in ours.”

ACCESS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

When Linda Cade starts a new group for diabetic patients, she in-cludes patients from ODCHC’s Cres-cent City and Willow Creek clinics. Instead of traveling for hours, every-one is linked together using video conferencing technology. “Without this technology, a lot of patients would not have access to this care,” says Linda. At fi rst I wasn’t sure it would be effective, but when the group is fi nished and everyone is

saying goodbye and making small talk, everyone is still talking. We build relationships with each other even though we are 90 miles apart.”

“Through video conferencing, otherwise known as telehealth or telemedicine, Open Door patients are linked to special-ists and services at locations just about anywhere in California,” explains Darlene Coop, who has been coordinat-ing telehealth ser-vices at TVSC for six years. “Some-times they need the services of another ODCHC clinic; other times they need a specialist at one of the state’s regional medical centers. We can bring the patient to the spe-cialist without ever leaving the build-ing, even when the specialist is in San Francisco or San Diego.”

“Open Door fi rst started using tele-medicine in 1996 at its Humboldt Open Door Clinic in Ar-cata,” states Frank Anderson, ODCHC’s Director of Tele-medicine. “Over the years, we assessed what was needed and which special-ists would be of benefi t to the most

continued on next page ➤

TVSC provides quality pediatric services to our Open Door patients. Our staff has a real enthusiasm for the programs we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are dedicated to more that 100% excellence. I love what I do and I do what I love,” says TVSC pediatric program coordi-nator Viviana Hernandez, RN. Pictured with patient Aubrey Gilbert. Visit www.opendoorhealth.com for an expanded story on TVSC’s pediatric services and other specialty programs.

TVSC provides quality pediatric services to our Open Door TVSC provides quality pediatric services to our Open Door patients. Our staff has a real enthusiasm for the programs patients. Our staff has a real enthusiasm for the programs we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are dedicated to more that 100% excellence. I love what I do dedicated to more that 100% excellence. I love what I do and I do what I love,” says TVSC pediatric program coordi-and I do what I love,” says TVSC pediatric program coordi-nator Viviana Hernandez, RN. Pictured with patient Aubrey nator Viviana Hernandez, RN. Pictured with patient Aubrey Gilbert. Visit www.opendoorhealth.com for an expanded Gilbert. Visit www.opendoorhealth.com for an expanded story on TVSC’s pediatric services and other specialty story on TVSC’s pediatric services and other specialty programs.

"TVSC provides quality pediatric services to our patients. Our staff has a real enthusiasm for the programs we provide and the way we deliver patient care. We are dedicated to more than 100% excellence. I love what I do and I do what I love,” says TVSC pediatric program coordinator Viviana Hernandez, R.N., pictured with patient Aubrey Gilbert.

➤ Visit www.opendoorhealth.com for an expanded story on TVSC’s pediatric services

and other specialty programs.

patients. In 2004, we bought the building next to ECHC and opened the Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center in 2005.

Patient Lee Lane with diabetic educator Linda Cade, FNP

OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 3

those clinics to know we are avail-able,” Frank says. “Our specialists are excited to be able to use this tech-nology. They move from exam room to exam room. Sometimes there is a patient sitting on the exam table and sometimes there is a face on the television screen. Their ability to pro-vide quality service is the same.”

Behind the scenes, medical assis-tant Darlene Coop keeps it all run-ning smoothly. “The technology has really improved. The quality of the connection is much better than it used to be. We can also take pictures to send to some of our specialists,

continued from page 3

The clinic combines in-person visits and remote connections to provide a wide range of care that our patients wouldn’t get unless they traveled. Telemedicine has been a great ad-vancement for rural communities. Instead of a long, expensive trip to a big city, the exam feels just like go-ing to see your provider at your local clinic because you are going to your local clinic” says Frank.

“The technology isn’t the most important thing about TVSC,” Frank continues, “We have an amazing group of local specialists who provide services to ODCHC’s low-income and publicly-insured patients at the clinic. These are patients who wouldn’t oth-erwise have access to specialists in this area. By combining our local re-sources with the people we can reach using telemedicine we have greatly expanded the type of care on which our patients and our primary care providers can rely.” Over the years, Open Door has worked to expand its use of technology. All ODCHC sites have the ability to connect patients with services available in other parts of the state through telemedicine. “Now patients in Willow Creek or Crescent City don’t even need to travel to Eureka to see a specialist. Things have improved over the years and the connection is just like making a phone call.”

TVSC is also a resource to other rural areas that don’t have access to specialists. Using telehealth technol-ogy, TVSC provides 23 other com-munity health centers with access to ODCHC specialists. “We help patients in clinics as far away as Blythe. Can you get much farther away from Humboldt County and still be in Cali-fornia? We don’t need to do it very often, but it is very reassuring to

including our dermatologist and our ophthalmologist. This makes the process convenient for the patients and we get the results very quickly.” That is only part of Darlene’s job. She makes sure the appointments are scheduled, the medical records gath-ered, the patient comfortable in the room, and then makes sure that the recommendations of the specialists are explained to the patient and to the patient’s primary care provider. “While my days are never the same, making sure that communication hap-pens is always my priority.”

In addition to her group sessions,

Linda Cade uses telemedicine for some of her individual consultations. “At fi rst I was nervous to work in front of a screen, but what I see is not the screen, I see my patients. I also see the value of this technology. I was working with a teenager who lives in the eastern Sierras. He was newly diagnosed with diabetes and his treatment plan wasn’t working for him. In the middle of our telemedicine session, with him some 300 miles away, I saw him begin to have a sei-zure. No one had been aware that he was having these seizures. Not only was I able to immediately contact his primary care provider, who was just outside the exam room and able to provide assistance, but now we knew more about his illness and his need for care. We were able to get him on the right treatment plan. Instead of a teenager with no hope for the future, I now see a young man in control of his health and enjoying his life. That is precisely the remarkable work that makes the specialty services, and the use of telemedicine, so invaluable.” �

Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center

Telehealth & Visiting Specialist Center staff outside the clinic in Eureka

Telemedicine Coordinator Darlene Coop

4 OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011

then. We include the patient as a team member and we talk about everyone’s responsibili-ties. When you think about it, a patient is seeing a provider for a just a few minutes. What they do outside of the clinic is going to make the real differ-ence.”

Elizabeth explains, “Our resources are limited, continued on next page ➤

so access to these groups, and to our behavioral health services in

general, is reserved for established patients of Open Door clinics.” As part of her approach, Elizabeth uses a wide range of resources. “The patient is the one who’s do-ing the real work. With some pa-

tients we incorporate art therapy

continued from page 1Eureka Community Health Center

into their care plan to en-gage them in the healing process.”

Shari has been active in her health care. She partici-pated in a women’s trauma support group, creating an art therapy project that she refers to as her “spirit doll” based on a comfort-ing and safe memory, and contributing to the clinic's small garden. “It’s a peace-ful place. I feel grounded when I’m working in the garden,” says Shari. Eliza-beth elaborates, “Dozens of our patients are involved in art therapy projects. It’s extraordinary to see what happens. We create the dolls, mosaic tiles, masks and add to the garden. What’s more extraordinary is to watch the transfor-mation in the people.” As

Shari explains, “I didn’t want to par-ticipate in the project at all at fi rst. Like many trauma patients, I didn’t want to connect. To see the trans-formation of my doll over time and to see the transformation in myself through these projects has been amazing for my healing process. I’m now proud of what I used to be ter-rifi ed about.”

NEW APPROACHES“We opened the Eureka Commu-

nity Health Center in 1991,” says Cheyenne Spetzler, Chief Operations Offi cer of Open Door Community Health Centers. “We recognized that many Eureka residents were going without health care because of

Most of the staff of Eureka Community Health Center

According to Elizabeth Drabkin, LCSW, behavioral health special-ist at ECHC, “We all feel stressed and overwhelmed at times, but for some, particularly people who expe-rience severe trauma, the psycho-logical and physical needs run deep. We can’t just treat the physical and we can’t just treat the emotional; it requires a comprehensive approach. Our team approach allows us to do that.” Elizabeth applied to work at Open Door Community Health Cen-ters upon completion of her gradu-ate program. “I knew I wanted to work for this organization, so when I wasn’t hired the fi rst time, I kept trying, and here I am. I enjoy work-ing at ECHC because the organiza-tion is so supportive and the work changes minute by minute. My work is diverse. My training as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker helps me em-power people. We consider where the person lives, who they live with, how they spend their time, their history, their dreams and goals, all in addition to the primary reason for their visit. Our ultimate goal is to help the person feel better. I work with patients to support their goals for resolving both emotional and physical problems, including grief, depression, post-traumatic stress, diet, hypertension, addiction, fa-tigue, pain and diabetes. We try to work quickly, and I’m impressed with what we can accomplish in just a few sessions when everyone is on the same team. In many cases I connect with a patient when they are here to see one of our medical providers. I am often invited into the exam room by the patient and provider and we begin discussing a treatment plan that combines medical and emotional support right

We include the patient as a team member and we talk about

everyone’s responsibilities. When you think about it, a patient is

seeing a provider for a just a few minutes. What they do outside of

the clinic is going to make the real difference.

- Elizabeth Drabkin, LCSW

"

"

OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 5

fi nancial or transportation barriers.” Through the generosity and perse-verance of Sister Ann McGuinn, St. Joseph Hospital let Open Door use a building they owned on Harrison Avenue and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange provided a $35,000 grant. “That was huge money, and with the building, it was enough for us launch the Eureka clinic,” reports Spetzler. “We were able to begin offering a full range of family practice services to a mostly low-income population. We hired two physicians, Ellen Weiss and Nathan Copple, who are still with Open Door, although working at dif-ferent clinics. We started providing dental services in 1992. We’ve now consolidated our dental services at the Burre Dental Center on Myrtle Avenue in Eureka. It took a few years, but we were able to purchase the current ECHC clinic location on Buhne so that we would further expand ac-cess for medical care.

Eureka Community Health Cen-ter (ECHC) now provides more than 20,000 medical and behavioral health visits to nearly 5,500 pa-tients each year. Under the leader-ship of the corporation’s Chief Medical Offi cer, Dr. Willard “Bill” Hunter, ECHC

is transforming health care delivery. “We are making a real shift in how we provide care, and it is a direction that makes sense to our providers, staff and patients here at ECHC. We’re moving from the idea of doctors as ‘all-knowing-experts-in-everything’ to a team approach model. The goal is that we work together – patients included – to coordinate the care that best meets our patients’ health needs. We get the best results through a team approach, and here at ECHC we have fully evolved teams, with physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, behavioral health specialists, nurses and medical as-sistants all contributing to care. The medical providers organize the teams and order all required health screenings and provide direct treat-ment. Nurses focus on effective case management and medical assistants maintain the patient fl ow – and we talk to each other about what we’ve

seen and what we think the patient needs. This model is the best way we know to put patient’s needs at the center of health care delivery. We’ve literally rear-ranged our work stations so that the entire team is in constant communi-cation. We know each other’s pa-tients; we can maintain the continu-ity of care. We’ve seen a tremendous expansion of access and a positive re-sponse from our patients,” explains Dr. Hunter.

“Most health care studies show that if we provide better primary care, the kind of care we provide at ECHC, then the outcomes for our pa-tients will be better across the board, improving long-term health while reducing costs to patients, insurers and government programs,” notes Dr. Hunter. “The model of the ‘medical home’ is an updated way to promote primary care. As a medical home, we strive to be available to our patients when they need to be seen and get them the care they need when they need it, including coordinating with local and regional specialists. We try to see our patients the day they call.” Dr. Hunter spends half his time seeing his patients at ECHC and the other half as Chief Medical Offi cer for

the organization. “My primary focus is increasing the quality of the care our system provides. The model for ‘medical homes’ isn’t one we cre-

ated; rather, we are tak-ing the idea and making it our own to best suit the needs of our patients. With our long tradition of collaboration with other providers and specialists in our com-munity and the region we can coordi-nate the full range of care our patients

need,” concludes Dr. Hunter.

PROMOTING COMMUNITY WELLNESS

David Villasenor, MD, joined the ECHC team in August 2010, right out of his medical residency at the University of California, San Diego’s combined Family Practice/Psychiatry program. He has a unique combina-tion of skills, particularly for a rural community health center and that is just what Dr. Villasenor wanted to offer. He considered his career op-tions carefully and decided ECHC was the place where he could best apply his skills. “This job is what I hoped for,” says Dr. Villasenor. “The clinic has strong leadership, wonderful

continued from last pageEureka Community Health Center

ECHC patient, Shari Marchesi, displays her art therapy project

Medical Assistant Ashley Chiu-Marvel & Family Physician/Psychiatrist David Villasenor

6 OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011

support staff and a real dedication to the community. My family and I have been here for a year. My wife is in the Masters of Social Work program at HSU. We already feel connected to the area and that we are a part of moving the community forward.”

“My residency program in San Diego is very proud that I am here, that I am serving a com-munity in medi-cal need. I see a great diversity of patients at ECHC. In addi-tion to my fam-ily medicine practice, I’m particularly interested in outpatient psychiatric care and substance abuse treatment. I work with a variety of established patients who are referred by their ODCHC primary care provid-ers.”

“We offer a suboxone program at ECHC,” explains Dr. Villasenor. “This is an outpatient, offi ce-based treatment program for dependency on opiates, including heroin, morphine, metha-done, Oxycodone, Vicodin and similar drugs. Some of these drugs have real medical value, but if used improperly, they cause real problems. Addiction does not discriminate. Our patients are homeless and unemployed, and professionals with good jobs and families – and everyone else.”

Registered nurse Beverly Bulloch

coordinates the ECHC suboxone pro-gram, among her many other duties. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take on

this project, but the fi rst time I walked into the support group, I knew I wanted to be a part of this work. There was a woman in the room who I had treated many times when I worked at the hospital. In the past, I really doubted whether she would survive, but here she was sitting in the conference room looking great – and alive! She was sober

and had reconnected with her family. The opportunity to get clean through this program – and her willingness to stick with it – saved her life. Patients’ lives change so dramatically from week to week and month to month. We are treating the disease of ad-diction, not just substituting the use of opiates. Beyond the individuals in the program, we are improving the health and quality of the community. This program has become the most rewarding part of my job.”

Beverly has a busy schedule in addition to her suboxone program duties. “I may be a nurse, but I’m also an educator,” she explains. “We work to develop education packets on a whole range of illnesses and conditions. Our patients love it. They

get excited about education, about learning how to take control of their health, and they enjoy the one-on-one consultations our nurses provide. Our teams are in communication all day long and I coordinate a lot of that communication, making sure that everyone is doing what needs to be done, including the patients. We let our patients know we are here and they appreciate that they can reach me when they have concerns. They know I’ll be their representative with the team.”

“I have been a nurse for 30 years,” Beverly says with pride. “Before tak-ing my job at ECHC in 2009, I had worked exclusively in hospitals. I started here just as the clinic began the transition to team-based care. While we’re learning more about team

care every day, our team is fantastic. The medical leadership is involved and invested in this model and better care for patients. Beyond this clinic, I know that Open Door’s leadership wants to know what I think. This is the only place I’ve ever worked in my whole nursing career where the ad-ministration consults with the medical staff on operations. I feel like I am a valued part of the Open Door sys-tem, not just a nurse working in an Open Door clinic.” Beverly adds, “The bottom line is that everyone here is always trying to do what is best for patient care.” �

➤ Visit www.opendoorhealth.com for expanded versions of these ar-

ticles and to learn more about Open Door Community Health Centers

One of the ECHC care teamsBeverly Bulloch, RN at ECHC

OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 7

continued from page 1 ➤

• Arcata HUMBOLDT OPEN DOOR CLINIC 770 Tenth Street, Arcata, CA 95521

707-826-8610

NORTHCOUNTRY CLINIC 785 18th Street, Arcata, CA 95521 707-822-2481

NORTHCOUNTRY PRENATAL SERVICES 3800 Janes Road, Suite 101,

Arcata, CA 95521 (in the Shaw Pavilion of Mad River

Community Hospital) 707-822-1385

• Crescent City DEL NORTE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER 550 East Washington Blvd,

Crescent City, CA 95531 707-465-6925 - Medical 707-465-4636 - Dental

• Eureka BURRE DENTAL CENTER 959 Myrtle Avenue, Eureka, CA 95501 707-442-7078

EUREKA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER 2412 Buhne Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-441-1642

TELEHEALTH & VISITING SPECIALIST CENTER 2426 Buhne Street, Eureka, CA 95501 707-442-4038

• McKinleyville McKINLEYVILLE COMMUNITY

HEALTH CENTER 1644 Central Avenue,

McKinleyville, CA 95519 707-839-3068 - Medical 707-839-2677 - Pediatrics

• Willow Creek WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY

HEALTH CENTER 38883 Route 299,

Willow Creek, CA 95573 530-629-3111 - Medical

530-629-1941 - Dental

All clinics will do their best to accommodate your immediate needs; however, there may be a waiting list at some clinics to establish care for new patients at this time. Open Door clinics offer either family practice/primary care medical services or dental services for children and adults. Several clinics offer both medical and dental services. While not available at all sites, other services provided to patients of Open Door Community Health Centers include:

• Behavioral Health and Counseling Services• Evening and Saturday Hours• HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Care• Nutritional Counseling• Opiate Dependency Treatment• Pediatric Services• Psychiatry• Specialty Medical Care• Teen Health Clinics• Transgender Health Clinic• Urgent Care (Walk-In Services)• Wellness and Health Maintenance

building is the largest fi nancial investment ever made by Open Door. Why would we take such a leap? Because people in this community still don’t have enough access to quality health care. It is our mission.

Personally, my experience with Open Door goes far beyond my role as Chair of the Board of Directors. I became a patient of the Humboldt Open Door Clinic in the early 1970s. It wasn’t a modern clinic, yet it attracted those who wanted a different, more personal form of health care. Forty years later, Open Door Community Health Centers has evolved into a comprehen-sive healthcare system of nine well-equipped clinic sites, comfortable waiting rooms, effi cient staff and the latest in technologies, including electronic health records. The only things that haven’t changed from those early days are the high quality of the health care and the caring commitment of the people who work in these clinics. This is what makes me the most proud.

Over the years I have sought a full range of health care from Open Door, including family planning, childbirth, care for viruses and infec-tions, minor surgeries and now, health issues re-lated to growing older. My children, my spouse, and my parents have been patients of Open Door clinics. I value the quality of care my family has received. My children had excellent pediatric care and I remember well the concern and com-passion shown to my father as he neared the end of his life.

This is the second in Open Door’s series of special inserts to the North Coast Journal cele-brating our 40 years of service. I hope you enjoy these stories about those who live and work in our community. These are stories about you and your neighbors, the very people who deserve the quality health care provided by Open Door.

Correction: In the NCJ Insert of 6/23/11,

Timothy Nicely was incorrectly identifi ed as an OB/GYN. Dr. Nicely is a board certifi ed Family

Physician with extensive training and experience in obstetrics and OB surgery.

Please see www.opendoorhealth.com for additional information.

continued from page 1 ➤

Articles by Breanne Sorrells, Development Associate, Open Door Community Health Centers; editorial contributions by Julianne Barnum, Development Intern and Christopher Peters, Chief Advancement Offi cer, Open Door Community Health Centers

Most Photography by Paul Swenson Photography, www.paulphoto.comLayout and graphic design by Siobhan Calderwood, North Coast Journal

Please visit www.opendoorhealth.com to read expanded versions of these stories and discover more about Open Door. Comments may be addressed to: editor@opendoorhealth.com.

This health center is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254(b), and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n)

OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERSAdministrative Offi ces: 670 Ninth Street, Suite 203 • Arcata, CA 95521 • 707-826-8633

www.opendoorhealth.com

8 OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SPECIAL SECTION • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011