Hayward city officials are celebrating the grand opening today of a new fire station and its co-located health clinic, the first of a kind combination in the state, city officials said.
The grand opening will start at 1 p.m. at the new Fire Station No. 7 located at 28300 Huntwood Ave., according to city officials.
City spokesman Frank Holland said it will serve a working class community in need.
“It’s in a really, really underserved area of the city,” Holland said.
The aim of the primary and preventive care clinic is to prevent illness and catch chronic issues before they get worse, which will reduce the load on the 911 system, he said.
It’s also to provide more effective and lower cost care, he said.
Holland said South Hayward is the best description of the area the clinic will serve. He said the area to be served is near the Tennyson corridor, but that’s not the only area it will serve.
City officials expect the clinic of 2,400 square feet to have more than 3,800 patient visits during the first year.
That number is expected to rise to as many as 10,000 in the third year, city officials said.
The clinic will employ one full-time doctor, a full-time nurse practitioner, three full-time medical assistants, one full-time and one part time or two part-time site managers, a full-time health coach and three other full-time workers, according to city officials.
Residents will be able to get care for ear, nose and throat infections, asthma, high blood pressure, and among other illnesses, the flu and colds, city officials said.
The clinic will also offer immunizations, sports physicals and among other services, prescription refills, according to city officials.
The new station and clinic are replacing a deteriorating temporary fire station, which has been one of the busiest stations for more than 10 years, according to city officials.
No plans have been made in Alameda County for more co-located fire stations and health clinics, Firehouse Clinic project manager Kristel Acacio said.
Operation of the Hayward clinic will be evaluated at the end of the first year and county officials hope to make a case for more of the combinations, Acacio said.
Keith Burbank, Bay City News
