New clinic in Spanish Valley

San Juan Health cut the ribbon on a new clinic in Spanish Valley on November 4. The clinic is in the middle of the fastest growing area of San Juan County, just south of Moab.

The $5.4-million-facility was built with the financial support of the Community Impact Board. An additional $1.5 million was needed for equipment. The clinic is the third clinic to be built by San Juan Health, including clinics in Monticello and Blanding. They have learned from the prior experiences, with the newest clinic featuring nearly a dozen patient rooms surrounding a spacious nurse’s station.

“The nurse’s station is the focal point, and everything is built around that,” said Jimmy Johnson, COO for the health district.

Support services include a large pharmacy room (with a drive-up window), laboratory, and radiology featuring an x-ray and CT scan.

“The goal is to be a one-stop shop for outpatient services,” added Johnson.

Five medical providers will practice at the facility, including Dr. Jason Doel two days a week, Dr. Michael Nielson one day a week, and Dr. Jeanne Wigant one day a week.

Physician’s assistant Fernando Rivero will be full-time at the clinic, with PA Nicole Fox there two days a week.

There are ten full-time employees on the support staff, including Medical Assistants, Nurses, Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, Radiology Technician, and a Clinic Manager.

Justin Bowman, the project architect for MHTN, said, “The goal is to accentuate the natural environment. We don’t want to intrude without intention.”

Bowman mentioned the pharmacy, efficiencies in the clinic setting, and the nurse’s station as the “cutting edge” features of the new clinic.

Pending final approval, the facility is set to open on Tuesday, November 9. It will remain open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While the new facility is sitting alone now, it is built on a section of school trust land on what is planned to be the main intersection of the Spanish Valley community, on the corner of Spanish Valley Drive and Old Airport Road.

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) has approximately 5,000 acres in Spanish Valley and intends an aggressive effort to develop the area. In time, Spanish Valley could become the largest community in San Juan County.

Clayton Holt, CEO of the health district, explains, “We decided upfront that if we could acquire the funding, that we would probably build something that was more than what was needed initially. So, we have the capacity to grow, that was intentional, but we could probably quadruple what we have started with here. So, we have started small, but we have the ability to grow as the community grows.”

Spanish Valley resident Andria Wilson is the newest member of the San Juan Health Board and helped cut the ribbon. Wilson said, “Everyone I have talked to is very excited. It’s an exciting start… something that is ours.”

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