Keeping Your Care Close to Home: Five Benefits of Community Health Centers

Local health centers are vital threads in the fabric of our communities. With more than three dozen health centers in 8 counties, Valley Health brings quality care closer to home for patients in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Over the last three years, the coronavirus pandemic has underscored the importance of local health centers in our communities, making it clear that we need them more now than ever. In 2022 alone, our providers saw and treated more than 100,000 patients. 

As a staff, we are committed to meet the growing demand by continually expanding our efforts — and our services — to make health care more accessible to more patients. This year, we have opened two new facilities: Pea Ridge, a center for obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s health, and the Milton and Harbour Way location, which specializes in optometry. 

At Valley Health, our patients know they can rely on us to provide quality, conveniently-based care for a wide variety of health services. Each health center offers a wide variety of specialized services, including audiology, behavioral health, dentistry, ENT, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, optometry, pediatrics, pharmacies, QuickCare, recovery, and more. 

Here are five ways you can benefit from community health centers:

1. Timely care. Illnesses and injuries are unpredictable, but having access to multiple community health centers increases your odds of being assessed and receiving treatment in a more timely manner. 
2. Cost-effective solutions. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 28 million — one in 10 people living in the United States — don’t have health insurance. Community health centers help fill these gaps by providing affordable health care options to uninsured individuals.
3. Limiting transmission. Community health centers work in the interest of public health. This means we focus on keeping everyone healthy through proactive measures and management like vaccinations and public education, such as hand-washing, lifestyle recommendations, annual check-ups.
4. Familiarity with providers. Local health centers are uniquely positioned at the intersection of community care and health care. Often, our providers live in the same communities as our patients, and they may share local connections. These common experiences can make providers relatable and help build trust with their patients.
5. Convenient locations. Another perk of community health centers is their proximity to us and our neighbors. When based in our areas, local health centers can make it easier for folks to visit and take the hassle of a long commute out of the equation.

It’s never been easier to schedule an appointment with the Valley Health team! Find your nearest Valley Health provider here, or if you have a MyChart account, request an appointment within the mobile application. Learn more about Valley Health MyChart services and visit our MyChart website to create a free, secure account today.