HealthSource of Ohio is expanding in Georgetown.

The private, non-profit healthcare organization announced plans to build a new 8,000 square foot facility to provide primary care to the adult population in both Georgetown and Brown County as a whole. Brown County Commissioner Barry Woodruff stated that HealthSource is investing $2.6 million in the project, which is expected to be completed by summer 2016. HealthSource Vice President of Marketing and Development Lisa Jackson confirmed that investment number, and called it a preliminary estimate.

“Currently we just have a pediatric office in Georgetown,” Jackson told the News Democrat. “We want to expand that to adult medicine so adults can be treated there, too.”

According to Jackson, HealthSource is mainly a primary care provider, through they do offer comprehensive health coverage at other locations across the state including dental health, pharmacy services, behavioral health, and OBGYN services.

While HealthSource wasn’t planning on adding an urgent care facility or a 24-hour emergency room to their project, Woodruff still believes this is a positive move for the community.

“It’s some of the most positive news we’ve had in a long time,” Woodruff told the News Democrat. “When you’ve got a health facility like that and willing to come in and spend $2.6 million on our community, that’s a great asset going to be added to the Village of Georgetown and the surrounding area for health care needs.”

According to Jackson, HealthSource is in the process of closing on a piece of property on the north side of Ohio State Route 125, near the CVS in Georgetown, potentially on a piece of property owned by Eric Sroufe.

Jackson said that after conducting a community needs assessment of Brown County and crunching the data, there was space for a health care provider to come in and offer services that were lacking to the population.

“We found a considerable unmet need, especially in adult population,” Jackson said.

In order to help pay for the project, HealthSource has applied for a Health Infrastructure Investment Program (HIIP) grant through the Bureau of Primary Health Care under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Jackson said.

According to the BPHC website, up to $150 million will be awarded to as many as 175 applicants. Applicants can apply for up to $1 million in grant funding for their project.

Jackson said HealthSource was expecting to learn if their grant application had been accepted by mid-September.

When the new facility does open, Jackson said HealthSource plans on hiring at least one family practitioner for 2016, and potentially more down the road.

At Georgetown’s Village Council meeting on August 13, Georgetown Mayor Dale Cahall told village council that 25-30 employees of HealthSource would be working in the new facility. Jackson said that hopefully a few years into the future they could have that many employees at the new facility, but for 2016 they are estimating there will be 16 employees.

According to Jackson, the goal of HealthSource’s expansion is to provide more services to adults in Brown County, who have been reeling since the demise of Southwest Regional Medical Center.

“We hope to increase access to primary care services to everyone in the community, so everyone has a place to go for their healthcare,” Jackson said.

HealthSource of Ohio is expanding in Geogetown, and is planning on building a new 8,000 square foot facility.
https://www.ripleybee.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_HealthSource1.jpgHealthSource of Ohio is expanding in Geogetown, and is planning on building a new 8,000 square foot facility.

By Daniel Karell

dkarell@civitasmedia.com

Reach Daniel Karell at 937-378-6161. Follow him on Twitter @GNDKarell