Posted: 5/20/2016
Community Oriented Primary Care facility welcomed in South Dallas
Residents near Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Hatcher Station Health Center in South Dallas felt a special sense of pride in the healthcare facility even before it was built. Now that it’s been open for a year, their appreciation has grown.
The Rev. Donald R. Parish Sr. and his wife Deborah of True Lee Missionary Baptist Church, located immediately behind the health center, recall that they and other church members often walked to the facility when it was under construction.
“We would pray. We would pray for the workers, that they be kept safe, and we prayed for this clinic that was so needed by this community,” Parish said. Now, one year after the Hatcher clinic opened, community members, patients and staff members continue to celebrate its role in South Dallas.
“In addition to the obvious service of providing medical care for some of the people who need it the most, the Hatcher clinic has been a great neighbor. It has brightened up this part of our neighborhood,” Parish said. “We are really proud of the fact that it is here and we hope it will lead to even more development.”
The Hatcher Station Health Center, located at 4600 Scyene Road, opened on May 19, 2015, replacing the aging East Dallas Health Center. The 44,000-square-foot, one-story outpatient facility is located across the street from the Hatcher DART Station. The clinic provides adult, pediatric, geriatric, behavioral health, pharmacy, lab and radiology services. It includes 60 exam rooms, provides financial counseling for patients and families, and also houses the Hatcher Women’s Center and Parkland’s Refugee Outreach Program.
Since opening, the Hatcher center has had more than 5,000 patient encounters per month. It also dispensed more than 119,000 prescriptions in the past year. The Women & Infants Specialty Health program at Hatcher – including obstetrics, family planning, gynecology, sonogram and mental health services – provided more than 14,000 patient encounters.
“The Hatcher Station clinic represents a huge leap forward in providing access to care in the community,” said Sharon Phillips, RN, MBA, Parkland’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Population Health. “It’s been great for our patients.”
Maura Nuñez said she and her family have been receiving their primary health care at Parkland clinics for more than 10 years and she has been coming to the Hatcher clinic since it opened.
“I think it’s a great facility,” Nuñez said. “And the best thing is that people are so nice here, from the people at the front desk to the nurses and my doctor. Everyone treats you like they really care.”
Staff members also have enjoyed the new facility.
“Working at Hatcher has been a wonderful experience for all the staff,” said Cesar Termulo Jr., MD, lead pediatric physician. “It’s been exciting to come into a different community with a new mix of patients with unique characteristics – it has reenergized us. It has also been great to know that many of our patients have followed us from our old location. It reinforces to us that we are providing high-quality care in our clinic.”
The Hatcher clinic grew from a partnership between Parkland and Frazier Revitalization, Inc., (FRI) a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2005 with the mission to revitalize and transform the Frazier neighborhood southeast of Fair Park through economic and cultural development.
“Patients tell us every day that the services offered at the clinic are helping to fill a care gap in the community and they express gratitude for the clinic and its staff,” said Gretchen Collins, Associate Site Administrator. “The staff and physicians are encouraged that we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our patients and the community.”
The Hatcher Station Health Center is part of Parkland’s Community Oriented Primary Care system that offers conveniently located medical care throughout Dallas neighborhoods. With 12 primary care clinics, 12 school-based clinics and mobile vans providing services throughout the region, the network offers high quality, affordable and accessible medical care to residents of Dallas County.
Learn more about Parkland and its community-based health centers,