A dream that was launched last year when word came down from the Health & Human Services Department that InterCare was being awarded a $1-million grant to build a women’s health center in Benton Harbor becomes reality this week with an Open House to showcase the results to the rest of the world.
The new Women’s Health Center at InterCare, which sits proudly alongside the InterCare Health Center on M-139 in Benton Harbor has become truly a dream answered in every regard. On top of the HHS grant, the Lakeland Foundation teed up a $150,000 donation and the project garnered additional financing from Horizon Bank to turn it into reality.
Velma Hendershott is Chief Executive Office of InterCare. She says, “We are very pleased to have the Women’s Health Center open and offering specialized services for the women of our communities.” She adds, “It’s a beautiful setting to receive high quality obstetrical care and specialized gynecological services.”
InterCare’s new Women’s Health Center is approximately 9,100 square foot with six exam rooms, nurse triage, a hygiene room, two non-stress test/ultrasound stations, two counseling rooms, an all-purpose room for providing group pregnancy visits as part of the CenteringPregnancy program, and other staff and waiting room space.
The space creates the physical capacity for three full-time OB/GYN providers to be working at one time. The building has also been designed to create a clear line of sight from the exam rooms to the central nursing station for improved team interaction and includes open office space for other community services, such as WIC, to share space. Dedicated parking is accessed through a shared entrance and exit.
InterCare began its OB program nearly a decade ago, in 2008, when they took over Lakeland’s practice that had been in the Mercy Center. At the time, they were serving about 500 women each year. Since then the Benton Harbor program has expanded to nearly 1,000 women, many of whom are considered high risk. In addition, the expanded provider team now provides gynecological care and surgical procedures and is the only source of such care for women on Medicaid in the Benton Harbor area.
With the increase in OB services that the Benton Harbor Health Center has experienced, as well as the expansion of other services such as behavioral health and substance abuse services, the main site was facing crowded conditions.
With the land adjacent to the Benton Harbor Health Center vacant, it was a perfect place to build the Women’s Health Center. InterCare used Byce & Associates, Inc. from Kalamazoo for architectural services, and Brussee/Brady from Sturgis for construction.
InterCare has been providing comprehensive primary care to area residents and migrant and seasonal farm workers in six Michigan counties along the Lake Michigan shoreline for 45 years. At its eight fixed locations in five counties, InterCare offers access to a full range of medical, dental and mental health services. In 2015, the organization provided 150,000 visits to approximately 45,000 unduplicated users.
The Women’s Health Center Open House will take place this Wednesday, December 13th from 2pm until 5:30pm at 796 M-139 in Benton Harbor. During the open house, the public is invited to meet the health care providers, visit information booths, take part in building tours and specialty screenings, register for giveaways and more.
The new center is open Monday through Friday from 8am until 4:30pm, and appointments can be made by calling 855-869-6900 for scheduling.
