CommuniCare builds bold, colorful clinic for Yolo's uninsured, Medi-Cal, Medicare patients

Jan. 30—Uninsured patients and individuals covered by Medi-Cal and Medicare will get a new medical home Monday in Yolo County when CommuniCare Health Centers re-opens its dramatically renovated Davis Community Clinic.

The new clinic, which occupies the same 13,000 square feet, has 16 exam rooms and seven dental treatment spaces, up from 10 exam rooms and five dental operatories. It also boasts bold paint colors and striking architectural accents, such as the coffered ceiling, in the waiting room.

Dr. Melissa Marshall, CommuniCare's chief executive officer, made the decision to close the clinic for construction 10 months ago, moving into a smaller office across the street as COVID-19 cases surged and much of the facility's care delivery moved to telemedicine.

Marshall, who was unavailable Friday, said through a statement: "We know that given all of the deferred chronic disease and preventative care due to COVID-19 that the demand for services is going to be higher than ever. We are gratified that CommuniCare is now positioned, better than ever, to meet that need."

Initially, Marshall had planned to do renovations of the Davis clinic, 2051 John Jones Road, in three phases over 1 1/2 years, but it turned out that she could save money on the project by finishing it in one fell swoop. The project was funded by the Federal Bureau of Primary Health Care, the Health Resources & Services Administration.

CommuniCare operates what are known as federally qualified health centers in not only Davis but also West Sacramento and Woodland, meaning that its medical team provides care on a sliding scale based on patients' income or insurance. In exchange, the federal government awards these safety-net providers cash grants, cost-based remuneration for serving Medicaid beneficiaries and malpractice coverage.

About one out of every nine Yolo County residents receive their care from CommuniCare. Longtime Davis residents will recall that the Davis health center started out in 1972 as the Davis Free Clinic. The clinic moved several times before finding a more permanent home on the Sutter Davis Hospital campus.

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