- April 26, 2024
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Officials: Preventive care is the key to keeping people out of the emergency room.
BY WAYNE GRANT | STAFF WRITER
Halifax Health Women’s Care Now, a new clinic for women, opened Oct. 15 in Ormond Beach, and it represents a new approach to health care, according to John Guthrie, communications director for Halifax Health.
The new health care model, he said, is to provide more access to primary care physicians and preventive care in the community so that people don't end up going to the emergency room.
“The hospital is stepping up to the community need for more primary care physician offices,” he said.
Bonnie Wittman is the administrator for Halifax Health Center for Women and Infant Health and will assume the same role at the Care Now facility. She sees a need for more preventive care, especially for prenatal and other well-woman issues.
“A lot of people haven’t been to a doctor in a long time for various reasons," she said. "We’re filling a need. Also, women’s issues are highly private, so you don’t want to go to emergency. ”
Nurse practitioner Sue Chappuis said some women do not have a doctor or have a hard time getting an appointment.
“There’s a high risk factor in not seeing a doctor for prenatal care,” she said. "We want to offer access to women.”
Halifax Health Women’s Care Now is located at 325 Clyde Morris Blvd., Suite 390. It focuses solely on the needs of women, covering well-woman issues including prenatal, obstetric and gynecological care, information on hormonal changes, lactation services and massage therapy. Women can also visit the clinic for a routine physical.
Also making the new clinic different from many other facilities is that it has an all-woman staff.
“This clinic is run by women, for women,” Wittman said. “We’re going to listen. You’re not going to hear ‘that’s just part of getting older.’”
She said women will feel comfortable and welcome no matter what stage of pregnancy they are in.
The staff also includes OBGYN Dr. Brenda Watson; Susan Bekken, a board certified lactation consultant; and Barb DeBernardo, a registered nurse and a massage therapist.
The clinic accepts private pay and will also help patients “figure out their insurance” and help determine if they qualify for Medicare, Wittman said.
Chappuis said she has been a nurse practitioner for 12 years and has seen many cases where better prenatal care would have made a big difference and resulted in a healthier baby.
“We could have prevented a lot of tragedy and medical bills,” she said.
“We’re going to have a relaxed approach,” Wittman said. “When you go to a doctor’s office, you always seem rushed. We’re going to welcome patients and make them feel like part of the family. It’s going to be a different experience.”
The facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday. On “Teen Tuesday” for teenage girls, the clinic will be open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Call 425-4450.
