Springfield Medical Clinic Continues Ownership Transition
SPRINGFIELD — A month after taking over ownership, a rural, community-based health network is continuing the transition at Springfield Medical Clinic.
Horizon Health Care, Inc., based in Howard, took over the Springfield clinic April 1. In existence for 30 years, Horizon currently operates 15 medical and dental centers.
Horizon operates primarily in east-central and south-central South Dakota in communities it considers medically underserved. The Springfield clinic marks the network’s first facility in the southeast part of the state.
The Springfield staff has reassured patients that little will change in daily operations, said Horizon marketing coordinator Kristi Atkinson. Dr. James Kerr, who opened the Springfield clinic eight years ago, remains on staff.
“This (clinic) means a lot for Springfield,” she said. “Dr. Kerr owned and operated the clinic, and there were concerns (about new management). But the original staff will still be there.”
Kerr — now a Horizon employee — will actually spend more time at the Springfield clinic, Atkinson said. Previously, Kerr was taking shifts at other facilities to help financially subsidize the Springfield clinic, she said.
Kerr could not be reached for comment for this story. However, he did provide a quote in a press release issued by Horizon Health Care.
“I’ve always been dedicated to serving the Springfield community with personalized, excellent health care, and Horizon’s mission and track record is well-aligned with that,” he said. “Under Horizon’s management, we’re able to keep the clinic alive and provide patients with even better care and value.”
Horizon wanted to help keep medical offerings in Springfield, said chief executive officer John Mengenhausen.
“The main focus is a community health center,” he said. “Without the access to health care services, a community will fold up and die. We want to be able to keep these services available in the Springfield community."
The City of Springfield owns the building that the clinic occupies, and Horizon leases it from the city, Atkinson said. The lease agreement signed is for five years at $0, she said.
Horizon purchased the clinic’s equipment, inventory and accounts receivable, Atkinson said. The network hired all existing staff, including Drs. Kerr and Kathy Miller.
Horizon was approached by Kerr and the City of Springfield, and the purchase came after six to eight months of in-depth conversation, Atkinson said.
Horizon’s network allows the Springfield clinic’s staff to serve patients with access to a wider range of health services, Atkinson said. Employing more than 100 professional staff, the Horizon network will receive more than 63,000 patient visits and maintain an annual budget of more than $8 million.
“With 15 clinics, there is quite a range of experienced providers with different expertise to serve their patients,” she said.
The Springfield clinic will continue focusing on family medicine and also provide pediatrics, emergency care, X-ray and lab services, Atkinson said. In addition, the clinic will offer access to specialists through telemedicine.
“The clinic is equipped with high-resolution cameras in the examination rooms,” she said. “If patients can’t travel, the specialists come to them.”
The clinic will also make use of electronic medical records, which is part of the transition, Atkinson said. Billing is done from a central office.
The clinic can refer patients to both Avera and Sanford Health systems for care, such as cardiology and oncology, unavailable at the Springfield clinic, she said. Emergencies outside of clinic hours should call or go to Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton at (605) 668-8000 or dial 911.
The Springfield clinic serves about a 35-mile radius and offers financial assistance for uninsured and underinsured patients through the Sliding Fee Program, Atkinson said.
The clinic will see patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid, according to Horizon officials. The clinic is a preferred provider for Avera and Sanford Health Plans, as well as many other insurance companies.
Patients who have insurance could also qualify for care on a sliding-fee basis, Atkinson said. The clinic uses federal poverty guidelines to determine the sliding fee for a particular service.
According to Atkinson, 75 percent of Horizon’s annual budget comes from patient insurance and paying patients. The remaining 25 percent is funded by a Federal Community Health Center grant. That funding comes from the Bureau of Primary Health Care, a division of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“This (grant) funding allows Horizon to offset the costs of providing reduced patient fees through the sliding-fee program,” she said.
As the Horizon transition moves forward, Springfield Medical Clinic patients will find they can continue receiving needed care locally, Atkinson said.
“It’s convenient and community based,” she said. “Patients can stay close to home, and they find it reassuring.”
BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
