Girard Medical Center of Uniontown, the new community health center in western Bourbon County, will open in March.
Residents currently must travel either to Fort Scott which is 20 miles away, Iola-25 miles, Pittsburg-38 miles, or Girard-30 miles for medical care.
Spearheaded by Uniontown Ruritan, and the vision of several members of the community, the Uniontown health clinic is a collaboration of Ruritan, USD 235 School District, the Bourbon County Commission, the City of Uniontown, and Girard Medical Center.
“We hoped to open March 1, but it may be mid-March,” Ruth Duling, the CEO of Girard Medical Center, said.
The school district provided the building for the clinic, which is located south of the Uniontown High School football field on the main street in the small town.
“Uniontown USD 235 is excited to partner with other organizations to bring health care options to our district communities,” USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said. “The 2020-21 school year has been very challenging, especially when it comes to community health. USD 235 is pleased to partner with Girard Medical Center and the Uniontown Ruritan Club in making this dream a reality.”
“It is great to see the successful culmination of a dream become reality in the creation of the Uniontown rural health clinic,” Mark Warren, District #37 Governor of Middle America Ruritan, who helped spearhead the project, said. “This clinic has the potential to benefit citizens of all ages and provide a choice in health care for the residents of our community.”
GMC is planning to start providing services to the community with the clinic open three days a week, Duling said.
“The remodel has gone well, and we just have clean—up and finishing touches,” she said.
“We are still working on securing personnel,” Duling said. “We will have two positions to start with and we have applicants for those positions already.”
The Girard Medical Center of Uniontown is part of the satellite clinics that GMC has in southeast Kansas: Girard Medical Center of Cherokee, Girard Medical Center of Arma, and Girard Medical Center of Frontenac.
