Bon Secours clinic takes place of center

The Irvin Gammon Craig Health Center will close Dec. 12 -- with the Bon Secours Care-A-Van stepping in to provide care for some patients.

The health center's management had announced several months ago that the facility on the campus of St. Joseph's Villa in northern Henrico County was closing because funding was drying up. Efforts had been under way to see whether there was a way to keep it open.

"It's a happy ending," said Peter Prizzio, who has served as executive director of Craig Health Center under a management agreement with the Craig Health Center board of directors. Prizzio is executive director of The Daily Planet, a health center in Richmond.

"There will be a case manager on site beginning [today] to help with the transitions," he said. Patients are being notified. The health center provided care to uninsured and underinsured patients on an ability-to-pay basis and also cared for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

The Bon Secours Care-A-Van, a mobile health clinic, will start serving patients at the St. Joseph's Villa site Dec. 15.

"Bon Secours Health System is committed to a smooth and effective transition process including a case manager who will work with each Craig Health Center patient to identify how their health-care needs can best be met," said Dougal Hewitt, Bon Secours senior vice president for mission.

Founded in 1994, Craig Health Center provided care for Villa residents and the surrounding neighborhoods. During the past 10 years, the center has provided services to more than 10,000 uninsured and underinsured residents, staff said.

The Care-A-Van and Bon Secours staff will have a consistent presence at the St. Joseph's Villa site to provide ongoing care for patients.

"This is something new and different for them," Prizzio said. "Their Care-A-Van model is designed as a roving primary-care clinic. They don't provide ongoing care of patients -- they like to refer them.

"Their mission is to provide services at no charge," Prizzio said. Patients with Medicaid or Medicare will be transitioned to community health centers or local providers, he said.
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or .