Southwest Health System is opening a health clinic in Dolores.
The group purchased the office building at 601 Central Ave., formerly Mountain Stone, said Ken Boucher, chief ambulatory services officer for Southwest Health.
The building is being remodeled to house exam rooms, reception area and doctor’s offices.
“Construction is expected to be complete this fall, and the plan is to provide services beginning in 2018,” Boucher said. “There are a lot of state and federal regulatory hoops to jump through to open a health clinic.”
The clinic will be staffed with a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, with oversight by Southwest Memorial Hospital. Medical providers are being sought for the clinic with a plan for them to be stationed there, rather than being rotated from existing hospital staff, Boucher said.
The clinic will be open Monday through Friday and accepts insurance.
“We are excited about bringing a family practice back to Dolores,” Boucher said.
The Dolores office will be the 11th health clinic in Montezuma County operated by Southwest Health, which also operates Southwest Memorial Hospital.
“We want to thank Southwest for providing this and stepping up to serve our community,” said Dolores Mayor Santiago Lopez.
There has not been a medical provider in Dolores since longtime physician Dr. Allan Scott Burnside retired in January after 23 years.
Burnside was being investigated by the Colorado Medical Board for alleged improper practices regarding prescription drugs. He owned and operated the Dolores Medical Clinic for 23 years.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
