Temp clinic opened

In a public statement from the Healthcare Sustainability Project Committee in conjunction with Health Management Services, LLC (HMS) it was recently announced that HMS has opened a temporary medical facility at the Platte Valley Community Center (PVCC).

In their efforts to create a smooth startup and meet their commitment to ensure healthcare services in the Valley, HMS is starting ahead of schedule. Under the new management of HMS, the Platte Valley Clinic has opened a temporary medical facility at the PVCC, operating Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

HMS has employed Susan Foley as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). In the state of Wyoming, FNPs are fully licensed independent medical providers. Foley has been in healthcare for 27 years as both a Registered Nurse (RN) and Nurse Practitioner (NP) and received her FNP license from Georgetown University. Foley was previously hired by Dr. Dean and Tonya Bartholomew and Dr. Bryan Kaiser had assumed her contract a year ago. NPs are trained to function in the primary care role for all ages and all patients. Her services will include: flu shots, flu tests, UTI tests, strep testing, pregnancy tests, prescriptions, prescription refills, urgent care for coughs, colds, sprains, strains and sports physicals.

Currently, there will be no onsite X-Ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), blood draws or International Normalized Ratios (INR). Appointments are preferred.

Susan Foley and her nursing staff can be contacted by phone at 307-710-5938 or by fax at 855-336-2979.  For emergency care, patients will be referred to the their chosen hospital.  The local area ambulance services and EMTs are still fully staffed and on call.

If anyone in the community would like to obtain a copy of their medical records or transfer records to the Platte Valley Clinic, they may do so at no cost by visiting the temporary location at PVCC and completing a record request form. It is suggested to bring identification and insurance information, if available.

HMS stands ready to move-in and assume operations at the clinic Oct. 25, the date presumed that the clinic will be first available. With regards to filling a full-time physician position, HMS is actively recruiting for the job. Recruiting the most appropriate person to fill this position is a careful process and HMS is confident the hiring will take place within the next three months. The HMS team has extended their outreach nationwide and is working diligently toward filling this role in the community.

The press release stated, “HMS is thankful for their relationship with the Corbett Medical Foundation (CMF) who has agreed to support them throughout the startup period and ongoing healthcare initiative. Also supporting HMS and CMF is the Healthcare Sustainability Project Committee.  This local citizen volunteer committee is assisting HMS and CMF during this transition by hosting public input meetings to organize feedback from our community members and intends to provide facts to the public throughout the healthcare transition.  This new group is engaged in research to help develop a plan to ensure the long-term future of sustainable healthcare in the Valley.”

The Healthcare Sustainability Project Committee will be conducting the next public input meeting at the Platte Valley Community Center at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7.