Elk River Health Services Joining Ozarks Community Hospital System
Four McDonald County clinics currently owned by Elk River Health Services will become part of Ozarks Community Hospital Health System on Jan. 1.
The four rural health clinics are located in Anderson, Pineville, Goodman and Southwest City. After the first of the year, they will be known as OCH Anderson Rural Health Clinic, OCH Pineville Medical Clinic, OCH Goodman Family Clinic and OCH Southwest City Community Clinic.
There will be no change in staff or healthcare providers. OCH is retaining the 17 Elk River Health staff and has been working closely with the Elk River Health leadership to prepare for the ownership change. Clinic providers currently include R. David Hill, D.O.; Coral Couchenour, D.O.; Mark Kennedy, FNP-BC; Diane Rowe, FNP-C; Jill Rogers, FNP-C; and Asefa Gebre, PA-C.
“Elk River Health Services Inc. has served McDonald County’s medical needs for the past 36 years. Due to economic pressures from the medical insurance industry, Elk River has been forced to make changes in order to continue service to the county,” says R. David Hill, D.O., medical director and physician for Elk River Health. “It is with pleasure we are able to announce our merger with the Ozarks Community Hospital health system. This move will provide the Elk River Health clinics in McDonald County with the economic security needed to survive the future challenges on the immediate horizon.”
Elk River Health clinics cover care for more than 7,500 patients in the McDonald County area. R. David Hill, D.O. will continue as medical director of the clinics until 2021, after which OCH will continue serving residents in McDonald County.
“Our health system continues to look for opportunities to expand in rural areas as a way to support our passion for serving the under served and providing access to care,” says Andrea Harp, senior communications manager of the OCH Health System. “Acquiring these clinics fit our mission and model for growth. McDonald County data has shown high rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and includes more people below poverty line and food affordability than much of the state. We know we can make a difference in the community and continue efforts to focus on serving those who need it most.”
R. David Hill, D.O. and Megan Gore Hill opened the Southwest City Clinic in 1980. In 1994, they formed Elk River Health Services Inc. and added the Anderson Rural Health Clinic. Both clinics became federally certified rural health clinics in 1994. In 1999, the Pineville Medical Clinic was opened, and in 2007 the Goodman Family Clinic was purchased.
The OCH Health System is a safety-net organization encompassing a hospital and 17 clinics located throughout the southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas area. The OCH Health System serves patients in Springfield, Nixa, Carthage, Marshfield, Noel, Bolivar, Rogersville, Sparta, Mount Vernon and Gravette, Ark.