Agustin Dorado, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Nor-Lea Hospital District, with board members Pat Wise and Julia Myers, welcomed the public to the grand opening of the Nor-Lea Hobbs Medical Clinic Expansion on Tuesday, August 16.
“It’s a pleasure and thrill to be in this facility infront of all of you here,” states Dorado in the opening ceremony video posted on the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
About the Project
After Dorado’s opening remarks Chief Executive Officer of Nor-Lea Hospital District David Shaw took the podium. Shaw said that the six million dollar Hobbs expansion project has allowed the creation of 23 new positions, adding 60 individuals to the clinic’s staff. The result is expanded medical services and treatments.
To give an idea of the impact the clinic’s expansion is providing, Shaw commented that payroll alone for the new 60-person staff will be $2.8 million annually.
Shaw commented that the new facility has space for eight new providers, an immunization clinic and an expanded lab. “The anchor in our new space will be our new pediatric program, which we are very excited about,” Shaw added.
Several new doctors and nurse practitioners, especially in the areas of family practice and pediatrics, have already joined or will soon be joining the Hobbs Nor-Lea team.
The Project Represents Partnerships
In summarizing the expansion project Shaw said, “I think this project represents the power of partnerships. When I reflect on the last 20 years, I am very grateful to Lea County.”
Shaw went on to say that several years ago the county significantly helped Nor-Lea in the first, repurposing phase of the project, as well as in the project’s second phase by spending $2.5 million. “You would not be here today celebrating this opening without Mike [Gallagher] and the [county] commissioners and their willingness to take a courageous step and help us with this project.”
Shaw next remarked that his first partnership with Lea County was about 22 years ago with the Family Health Center. “That is still one of our most successful clinics…,” he said.
Shaw also reflected on Nor-Lea’s partnership with the Hobbs and Lovington schools, especially during the pandemic, and with New Mexico Junior College, particularly the nursing program. “The nursing program saved us this year. We have hired about 10 new graduates at the hospital. It’s been a blessing,” stated Shaw.
Partnership with Covenant Health
Shaw spoke about the success since the early 2000s of Nor-Lea Hospital District’s partnership with Covenant Health.
An example of the success of this partnership is the cancer program. Shaw reflected that the program worked with some 11,000 individuals last year who otherwise would have had to travel to Lubbock, Texas for care and that the program has reduced mortality rates in the county. “Lea County had some of the worst mortality rates 20 years ago. Today we have better mortality rates than the rest of the state, and our average is better than the United States,” stated Shaw.
Right now Nor-Lea is partnering with Covenant on the pediatric program. “The pediatric program is an important piece of a renewed obstetrics program in Hobbs,” said Shaw.
County Manager Mike Gallagher Takes Podium
Lea County Manager Mike Gallagher was next to comment about the expansion project. Gallagher stated that in 2013 the county completed the Lea County Health Needs Assessment. That assessment “…identified countywide a number of the gaps and opportunities to include health care throughout the county,” said Gallagher.
Identified in the assessment was the lack of “primary health care physicians” in the county. This facility that you are standing in … the partnership that you are celebrating and the medical team that you are here celebrating was an action step that came out of that needs assessment,” said Gallagher. “That needs assessment really started a community, countywide partnership….” Quality, affordable health care that is accessible and convenient is the result.
After the fanfare of the ribbon cutting that followed the grand opening ceremony, the clinic expansion is now officially open to better serve the health needs of all. The more than 10,000 square foot clinic is located at 1923 North Dal Paso Street in Hobbs.
