The University of Nebraska Medical Center announced today that its South Omaha Neighborhood Association (SONA) clinic is moving into bigger space and changing its name.
The move and name change will occur this week as the SONA Clinic at 31st & Q Streets will close its doors Feb. 1 and move all health care services five blocks west to 36th & Q Streets.
The clinic will reopen on Feb. 6 as the UNMC Community Health Center at 5155 S. 36th St., behind No Frills Supermarket. Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
UNMC has operated the clinic in South Omaha since 1974, serving an average of 800 people per month. It is the second largest clinic providing health care services to people who are uninsured and have limited financial resources in the South Omaha community.
“A real opportunity presented itself when that space opened,” said Harold M. Maurer, M.D., UNMC chancellor. “The move is a good fit for UNMC as it provides room for the expansion of clinic and community space to better serve the needs of the people of South Omaha.”
Carl Smith, M.D., chair of the department of OB/GYN said this is an exciting change for the clinic.
“UNMC has a longstanding tradition of serving the South Omaha area, providing its residents with quality, affordable health care,” Dr. Smith said. “We worked with members of our South Omaha Community Care Council on our plans to expand services at this new site. This facility addresses the needs of South Omaha.”
Once known as the site of One World Community Health Center, the new clinic offers more than twice the space as the old SONA location. With 11,280 square feet, the new UNMC Community Health Center features 12 examination rooms – an increase of five – a laboratory, two blood draw rooms, patient consulting rooms, and various conference rooms that will seat between 8 to 20 people.
The most distinguishing feature of the space is its wide open environment with 20-foot ceilings and bright colors that include terra cotta red, topaz yellow, dark amethyst purple and a rich teal.
“We are excited about the opportunities this new space provides,” said Maria Valentin, president of UNMC’s South Omaha Community Care Council and community affairs consultant for ConAgra Foods. “UNMC is very committed to the South Omaha community and works closely with us to identify and address the health issues we are experiencing in this community. We have a wonderful partnership, and we’re all healthier because of it.”
The health care services offered by or in coordination with UNMC at the new clinic include: a full range of prenatal care, primary care/family practice, pediatrics, reproductive health services, and mental health care. All health care services are provided on a sliding scale basis, are partially subsidized by federal grant programs, or are provided through a special charity care designation to improve access for people who are uninsured and have limited financial resources.
Last year, UNMC’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the UNMC College of Nursing primary and family practice clinic provided nearly $415,000 in free care, more than 20 percent of the professional services given to patients at SONA.
The UNMC Community Health Center also is a site for immunization clinics held by the Douglas County Health Department and HIV screenings provided through the Nebraska AIDS Project.
In addition, UNMC health professions students, under the supervision of UNMC faculty, provide services through the Student Health Alliance Reaching Indigent Needy Groups (SHARING) Clinic and the Responsible Early STD Prevention Education and Community Testing (RESPECT) Clinic for a flat fee of $10 to individuals who have no health insurance and have limited ability to pay.
The SHARING Clinic provides family health services and is open Tuesdays, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. The RESPECT Clinic provides screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases on Wednesdays, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
“This expanded space increases our capacity to see patients and extends the number of services we offer,” said Kate Fiandt, DNS, associate professor in the UNMC College of Nursing.
Smoking cessation services begin March 6 and classes for smoking cessation and diabetes control are in the development stage, she said. Additional community outreach programs are being considered.
“We look forward to serving our current patients at this new location,” Dr. Fiandt said. “The new site is on a major bus/transportation route and will make it accessible to the residents in the South Omaha community. We promise to make the transition to this new site a seamless one for our patients and their families.”
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology, ophthalmology and arthritis. UNMC’s research funding from external sources is now more than $72.5 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state. -30-