Community Health Center Expands Hours to Better Serve You: Enhanced Access to Care!

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is changing its hours to better serve patients. Starting Monday, the center will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. This means more access to urgent care, primary medical care, and behavioral health services for local families.

Jessica Doolittle, an advanced registered nurse practitioner at the center, shared the good news. “At Community Health Center, we are committed to meeting the needs of our patients, many of whom work in local factories and face challenges accessing health care during traditional office hours,” she said. The extra hours aim to help patients find care without missing work or relying on emergency services for non-urgent issues.

Colleen Miller, the center’s chief operating officer, noted that these new hours will make it easier for families to manage their schedules and health care needs. Services available during the extended hours will include:

• Primary care
• Urgent walk-in care
• Pediatric and adult wellness exams
• Mental health care, including medication management and therapy

While the new hours provide more options, it’s important to note that dental care will not be available during these times.

This expansion is made possible by a $500,000 federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The funding helped hire more clinical and administrative staff necessary to support the new schedule.

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is a federally qualified facility, offering a range of medical, dental, and behavioral health services to patients of all ages. It accepts various forms of health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, and provides a sliding fee scale for those who qualify.