The Hilltop Regional Health Center Grand Opening on November 2, 2013

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TACOMA, Wash. – The Hilltop Regional Health Center will share its grand opening celebration with former congressman Norm Dicks, on Saturday November 2, at 11 AM. “Congressman Dicks will be honored for his lifetime of service to Community Health Centers” said CEO David Flentge, “ and his particular support of Pierce County’s Community Health Care during his 36 years in office.” The main concourse will be named for the former congressman. Also anticipated at the festivities will be Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Derek Kilmer, each also a strong supporter. Former State Senator Debbie Regala will also be honored for her 18 years of commitment to the work of Community Health Care.

The Hilltop Regional Health Center will serve six times as many patients as the old clinic on South “I” and 11th streets; as is the case today the majority will be low-income and uninsured. The new health center, with medical, dental and pharmacy, each with multi-lingual staff, will open its door to patients on in late November .

The opening of the Hilltop Regional Health Center is a major milestone, and an extension of the 45-year history that Community Health Care has in the Hilltop Community. Founded in 1968 as a once-a-week clinic serviced by volunteer doctors from Pierce County, it has grown into a system of five medical and three dental clinics that served over 31,000 residents across Pierce County in 2012. From its inception, Dr. George Tanbara, one of the founders has been a quiet guiding influence for this important Pierce County safety net which continues to this day.

This will also be the first major new construction in the central area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in some time. The Hilltop Business Association anticipates that this construction will spur further new development on the MLK corridor in the near future.

The new 54,000 sq. ft. three-story facility was constructed at a cost of $26.68 million. It is being underwritten by individual gifts, foundations and businesses as well as grants from federal, state and city governments. It is further underwritten by over $7 million in equities through the New Market Tax Credits program which was supported by the National Development Council, Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and U.S. Bank/USBCDE. US Bank is the primary investor. When fully operational, the new health center will accommodate 17,000 patients annually.

The center will also be a teaching health center and house residency programs for physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants and pharmacists, as well as training programs for other health disciplines. It will be one of the few locations in the United States to have the interaction of these multiple residencies in one location.

New as well, is a 15 room Urgent Care Clinic to serve immediate needs that do not require “Emergency” care facilities. Hours will extend into the evening and weekends.

All are welcome and encouraged to join the Grand Opening Celebration beginning at 11 AM across from the new facility at 1223 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

For further details and/or photographic material contact jmorrill@commhealth.org.

For further general information visit the Community Health Care website: www.commhealth.org

To indicate your intention to attend, please RSVP at email: grandopening@commhealth.org.

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