Golden Valley Health Centers has a $21 million project to broaden access to care and provide a better experience for patients when they visit the doctor, representatives said.
The Merced-based nonprofit has plans for four new clinics across Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties, along with renovations for up to 21 health centers.
The biggest piece is a two-story, 26,000-square-foot health center, with 37 exam rooms, across from Mercy Medical Center in Merced. The center will have urgent care service, and doctors who care for expectant mothers at the center will be close to the hospital.
Renovations featured new flooring and refurbished exam rooms in a Golden Valley center on Florida Avenue in Modesto. Other improvements in Modesto are planned for the Corner of Hope Clinic for the homeless and the dental clinic at Hanshaw Middle School.
Part of the two-year project includes interior upgrades in clinics to provide a similar look and reinforce Golden Valley’s brand.
Golden Valley will hire physicians, mid-level providers and social workers to expand its staffing. The community health system, founded in a house in Merced some 45 years ago, is a major health-care player in the region today, with approximately 150,000 individual patients served at more than 30 locations from Manteca to Dos Palos.
“We believe all of our patients deserve the highest-quality facility that we can provide,” Chief Executive Officer Tony Weber said. “We work very hard to ensure the culture of our organization is one that respects patients. Our goal is to be the provider of choice.”
In June, Stanislaus County’s board of supervisors approved the issuance of bonds through the California Municipal Finance Authority for Golden Valley’s latest capital project. Part of the funding comes from the purchase of $9 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds by UnitedHealthcare’s California Health Care Investment Program.
Additional funding is from revenue bond purchases by other corporate investment partners and Golden Valley’s reserves, said Kasey Mosher, director of marketing and communications for the Golden Valley Health Centers Foundation.
UnitedHealthcare said it participates in the investment program to support organizations in underserved areas of California that make sure residents have access to health care. “We have done this in California with a number of federally qualified health centers,” said spokeswoman Maryann Marino.
Golden Valley expects to make services more available to patients, reduce wait times at clinics and improve the condition of its facilities. Patients who feel more comfortable when they visit the clinic are more inclined to keep regular appointments and maintain their health, Golden Valley said.
This story was originally published September 26, 2018 4:46 PM.