Ready to provide care

Newhall Health Center expands access in the Santa Clarita Valley

The Northeast Valley Health Corp. opened its fourth community center in the Santa Clarita Valley this week, increasing the health care service providers for the underinsured or uninsured and/or in need of low-cost health care.

While the doors officially opened Monday, the center is planning a grand opening over the summer, according to Rosa Guerrero, director of public relations, marketing and community affairs.

“As of Monday, the health center is open and accepting appointments for women’s health, pediatrics, health education and chronic disease management,” Guerrero said, mentioning conditions such as diabetes or asthma. “We can provide that primary line of care so we don’t end up in the emergency room.”

The new health center contains 14 exam rooms, two special procedure rooms, a lab and Woman, Infants and Children program providing comprehensive health and nutrition services to those in need of health care.

Newhall Health Center officials said they’re also looking to relieve the strain on emergency rooms, where hospitals and taxpayers foot the bill to treat patients with non-urgent conditions.

Currently, underinsured or uninsured patients without access to primary medical care, often use local emergency rooms for non-urgent conditions such as bronchitis, sore throat and fever, according to NEVHC officials.

“The demand for cost-efficient care in the Santa Clarita Valley has outweighed available resources,” said Kimberly Wyard, CEO of Northeast Valley Health Corp. “The Newhall Health Center provides medical care to people in need of preventive and primary health care services, chronic disease management and reduces the number of unnecessary visits to local emergency rooms.”

The network of community health centers nationwide save $24 billion for the health care system annually by providing services that range from medical, dental, behavioral health to patients who call them their medical home, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers.

The new community health center is located at 23413 Lyons Avenue in the Old Orchard Center, in Newhall.

Nikolas Samuels/The Signal (See additional photos at signalscv.com) Medical assistant Patricia Quinteros processes a blood sample at the Newhall Health Center on Wednesday. The community health center opened on Monday and sees all patients, insured and...

Nikolas Samuels/The Signal (Above) Clinic administrator Hector Godoy gives a tour of the Newhall Health Center on Wednesday.

(Left) Letecia Neilson, NP, stands in front of the Newhall Health Center on Wednesday. The community health center sees all patients, insured and uninsured, as a federally qualified health center.