ENID, OK – The governing boards of Great Salt Plains Health and the Enid Community Clinic have formalized an agreement to merge the two organizations in a move that will create greater access to care for the community’s most vulnerable patients. GSP will become the new health care provider at the clinic effective January 1, 2025.
Enid Community Clinic Manager Janet Cordell, RN, is enthusiastic about the agreement.
“We’ve had a positive long-term relationship with Great Salt Plains,” Cordell said. “That relationship has only gotten stronger in recent months. GSP’s eastside location was damaged in a hailstorm this past summer and they needed to find other locations to see patients. The Community Clinic was a perfect fit.”
Cordell noted that after Covid and the expansion of Medicaid, clinic patient numbers were dwindling and never rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. The age of the clinic volunteers also contributed to the decision.
“We wanted to make sure we were using clinic resources to help as many people as possible. GSP sees all patients but has systems in place to care for the patient base previously seen at the Community Clinic. GSP is committed to caring for patients, regardless of their ability to pay.”
Great Salt Plains Health CEO Tim Starkey agreed. “This is really a win-win for both organizations and especially ECC patients,” Starkey said. “Patients will no longer be restricted to Tuesday evenings, twice a month, and they will be able to access other GSP services. We have asked Janet to stay on to help educate our staff about caring for these patients and ensuring a smooth transition.”
ECC assets will be transferred to a special fund at GSP and be used exclusively for patients who can’t afford medication and durable medical equipment as well as patients who can’t afford even the lowest co-pay for health care services.
The current clinic location will remain the same and be fully staffed Monday through Friday.
“The Community Clinic and its volunteers are to be commended for the work they have done, and continue to do, to provide care for families who would otherwise not have access,” Starkey said. “We look forward to following their example of providing quality, compassionate care.”
ABOUT THE ENID COMMUNITY CLINIC
In 1995, a community-wide steering committee was formed to create a medical clinic for indigent patients. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, representatives from both hospitals and the United Way came together and created The Enid Community Clinic. The clinic opened its doors on August 6, 1996, at 1106 E. Broadway in Enid, OK.
For decades, due to limited resources, the Clinic would see patients on a first-come, first serve, walk-in basis every Tuesday evening. Covid forced the Clinic to move to an appointment only schedule. The clinic currently sees patients by appointment two evenings per month.
To be eligible, patients must be uninsured and have a household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. The clinic is governed by a board of directors and staffed entirely by volunteers.
Some of the longest serving clinic volunteers include: Janet Cordell, Vicki Janky, Joyce Pitt, Brad Waken, Randy Long and Bob Taylor who passed away in 2023.
ABOUT GSP HEALTH
GSP Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center providing comprehensive medical, dental, and behavioral health care for families and individuals, of all ages, incomes and occupations, in our community and surrounding areas.
Our mission is to increase access to comprehensive primary and preventive health care to all and to improve the health care status of underserved and vulnerable populations within GSP Health’s geographical area.
Great Salt Plains Health Center began in 2007 with a dream and a vision of community leaders in Cherokee, Oklahoma. On September 3, 2007, the United States Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to award grant funding to Great Salt Plains Health Center for the development of a community health center. The $600,000 grant was to bring affordable, comprehensive primary, oral and behavioral health care to the residents of Cherokee and Alfalfa County as well as the surrounding area. Since that time, GSP Health was awarded additional federal grants to open new access points in Medford, Oklahoma, and Canton, Oklahoma. Seeing a need in Enid, Oklahoma, due to the number of medically underserved patients from Enid traveling to our rural clinics, the GSP Health board of directors made the decision to use their own funding to open a clinic in Enid without a federal grant, providing primary medical care and behavioral health services to Garfield County and the surrounding region.
As a nonprofit 501c3 Cherokee, Oklahoma-based corporation, we proudly provide access to quality healthcare in our rural and underserved region. We accept clients with and without insurance coverage. Qualifying uninsured patients can be seen for as little as $20 utilizing our income-based sliding fee scale. We offer primary medical care including women’s health services, dentistry, counseling, X-ray and laboratory services. GSP Health provides better access to health care in a better integrated primary care setting to bring better health outcomes to those who call our region of the country home.
