By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
First Care Clinic has purchased the building at 1301 Main and plans to renovate it to include a pharmacy and an express care clinic.
First Care CEO Bryan Brady said the pharmacy will be for First Care patients. The express clinic will be open to the entire community.
“Our vision is that the pharmacy will be closed to First Care Clinic patients only,” he said. “The express care… our vision is that you can go to an app online within 24 hours and request an appointment for your acute problem.”
The hours for express care have yet to be determined.
The project will cost approximately $1.3 million. Half is paid through a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. The other half is paid with working capital.
First Care Clinic is a 501(c)3 non-profit, federally qualified health center that provides health care to people of all ages, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. It offers services on a sliding scale to those who qualify.
In line with that mission, the pharmacy is working to provide drugs at a lower cost to the uninsured and underinsured, Brady said.
“One of the biggest things we hear from our patients is that their medication is unaffordable,” Brady said. “If we can help them do that and give them access to the medication they need, it improves health outcomes.”
Brady said he didn’t think the First Care Express Care would compete with the HaysMed Handy Care Clinic. The First Care clinic will be downtown as opposed to the HaysMed clinic on Vine Street.
The First Care Express clinic offers the same sliding scale as the main clinic.
“Our goal is to fill those gaps in the community and not compete with anyone,” Brady said.
The building covers approximately 3,000 square meters. The Hays Chamber will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. on August 4. The renovations will take nine months to a year, Brady said.
Brady said the old clinic and the new buildings will unfortunately not be connected. Patients will have to enter the pharmacy and the express clinic through a separate outside door.
The 1301 Main Building is part of the historic city center. First Care was able to compromise with the state’s historic association to allow the building’s renovation to go ahead.
First Care Clinic recently acquired Hess Clinic. Brady said it will continue to operate that location in addition to the main clinic and new space on 13th and Main.
First Care is unique in that the main clinic is the only one in the area to house family medical care, mental health care and general dentistry under one roof.
“It’s part of our commitment to the Hays community,” Brady said. “We are improving the center. I don’t know if many people know that we employ almost 70 people here. We are a big economic engine in the center of Hays.”