The Winkler County Hospital District (WCHD) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 10 to mark the beginning of a project to expand its Rural Health Clinic in Kermit. This new expansion will bring more healthcare resources to Winkler County residents.
“Thank you to our board, staff, and members of the community, that took the time today to be part of our ground-breaking ceremony for our Rural Health Clinic expansion,” the WCHD wrote in an Aug. 10 Facebook post. “We are thrilled to begin construction on this project, which we hope will be a great addition to our healthcare community.”
KMID 2 and KPEJ 24 reported that the ceremony took place in the lot next to the clinic. Attendees partook in snacks and refreshments following the event.
According to Winkler County Memorial Hospital’s (WCMH) website, the Rural Health Clinic was established in 1995 and is situated behind the hospital. The clinic has been operating out of its current facilities at 828 Myer Lane since 2015.
“The Winkler County Rural Health Clinic is available to meet your primary health care needs,” the website reads. “Our providers specialize in caring for your whole family, and is now taking new patients from infancy to late adulthood.”
Per the WCMH website, the clinic is a member of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), an entity within the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) that supports over 20,000 primary care medical, dental, and behavioral health providers by way of scholarships and loan repayment programs. The WCHD itself was created more than 70 years ago as a way to bring accessible healthcare to a population that had to travel more than miles to either Pecos or Odessa for medical attention.
“[The] Winkler County Hospital District has a proud tradition of providing outstanding medical care, not only to the citizens of Winkler County, but to people in the surrounding areas,” according to the website.