After two years of searching for a location to open a health
care clinic in San Juan Bautista, the San Benito County Health
District has signed a lease for space at the Windmill Market
Plaza.
After two years of searching for a location to open a health care clinic in San Juan Bautista, the San Benito County Health District has signed a lease for space at the Windmill Market Plaza.
“There are no health services in San Juan,” said Ken Underwood, an administrator with Hazel Hawkins Hospital. “The city has shown an interest to have us come in to provide them with health care for some time.”
The 1,300-square foot clinic will be located in the back of the plaza and be staffed by a full-time primary care physician with either a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner.
“We have already started to recruit for a family practice physician,” Underwood said.
The hospital board approved $150,000 for build-out costs to complete the interior remodel and provide the basic medical equipment needed.
Word of the new clinic was a welcomed surprise for many residents of the city in which about half of its population of 1,530 is either children or the elderly.
“This is a great idea,” Irma Cortez said. “People wouldn’t have to drive to Gilroy or Hollister.”
Cortez said if people were pleased with the services, word of mouth would spread about the clinic.
“People are always looking for a good clinic to go to and we really do need one here,” she said.
The plan is to have the clinic open Monday through Friday and after it has been open a few months to extend the hours to include Saturday.
“We will focus a lot on family patients and pediatric patients,” Underwood said.
While the build-out is being completed the district is working on its application to the state.
“We are currently working with a health care agency to finalize the licensing with Department of Health Services,” Underwood said.
He said the hospital district hopes to open the clinic by June 1.
“This is a great idea, absolutely wonderful, and this makes sense, especially for the kids and the elderly,” said Terry Marburger, executive director for the San Juan Bautista Chamber of Commerce.
With limited bus services, a clinic would greatly benefit the elderly, officials said.
“It’s hard for the elderly to get into Hollister because many of them don’t drive,” Marburger said. “And with the elderly, when they get sick it’s more of an emergency. Even the flu can be serious for them.”
Because San Juan has strict rules governing appearances of businesses to fit the historical flavor of the area, Underwood said the hospital district was working with local contractor Drew Neubauer to complete the remodel.
“The electrical and mechanical plans are completed, but we are still going through the permitting process,” Underwood said. “Our architect just sent in the first draft of these plans to the city and we hope to hear from them in writing within the next 30 days.”
Not only would residents benefit, but so would business owners who do not have the time to travel to out-of-town clinics.
“About 80 percent of the shops in town are owner-operated and this would be a real convenience for the business people here in town,” Marburger said. “Owning your own business, you are trapped and this would be very beneficial all the way around.”
Underwood said Aromas and Prunedale residents would also benefit from having the clinic located in SJB.
“We know there is a need for health care services and that’s what we do,” he said.
Besides having a clinic in San Juan, Marburger said the city was in need of a pharmacy.
“Again, the elderly would really benefit the most because many of them have medications they have to take regularly,” she said.
