Grant will fund Hilmar clinic

Livingston Medical Group will open a medical facility this fall in Hilmar with the help of a $316,562 federal grant.

The grant is part of $28.8 million in grants announced last week by the

U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services. The grants, which were awarded to 67 community health centers across the nation, were made available by the Affordable Care Act to establish delivery sites for health services for an additional 286,000 patients.

Livingston Medical Group had hoped to open a facility in Hilmar in the past, but the project was stalled because the group was undergoing financial difficulties. Officials quickly are moving forward with their plans, thanks to the funds.

John Alexander, chief executive officer for the group, said it has 120 days to open the facility.

"We have four months to open the doors and start seeing patients," he said.

The group is looking at three properties to lease, Alexander said. The location most likely will be on Lander Avenue.

At first, the facility will be open for only 20 hours a week to operate as a satellite office, Alexander said. Officials estimate that the facility will serve a minimum of 240 patients a month at the beginning.

Once the medical group completes its license procedures with the state, the goal is for the facility to be in operation for the same amount of hours as the main medical center in Livingston, Alexander said.

The medical group sees about 3,000 patients who drive from Hilmar to Livingston, Alexander said. In addition, about 3,500 people who would use the medical services in Hilmar were identified in a needs assessment the group conducted before applying for the grant in December.

The facility will help reduce the number of patients who are seen at the main facility in Livingston, Alexander said. The center serves about 13,000 unduplicated patients a year, and that number would decrease by about 3,000 patients who would receive medical services at the Hilmar facility.

"It will give us room to breathe and expand" at the main facility, he added.