Lakeland announces plans for health clinics on east side of the county

HALEYVILLE - Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville plans to open multiple new medical clinics in Winston County. The hospital acquired an existing medical clinic in December, 2018 and filed the necessary paperwork to establish two new rural health clinics in January, 2019. The clinics will open once the new clinic applications have been processed and approved by state and federal authorities.  One of the clinics will be located in Arley or Addison.

Ashley Pool, Chief Operating Officer of Lakeland, stated: “We have been actively looking at potential clinic locations in Arley and Addison and will be opening a clinic in Arley, Addison or both. We had hoped to have it open last year, but had to delay due to some litigation that has now been resolved.”

The clinic plans to treat patients with a wide array of medical conditions from sore throats and flu to complex chronic medical conditions.

A second clinic will be opened in Haleyville right next to the hospital and will focus on wellness and preventative care.

Ashoke “Bappa” Mukherji, CEO of Java Medical, which manages the hospital, explained, “One of the main elements of the hospital turn-around plan was to focus on preventative care. It makes the most sense to place a wellness clinic right next to the hospital where we have a wide array of diagnostic equipment.”

The clinic space has been built out and is ready to open as soon as the application has been finalized.

The medical clinic that the hospital acquired in December will be relocated into a larger office in Haleyville. Judy Bittinger, chairperson of the Health Care Authority of Haleyville and Winston County, Alabama, commented, “One of the most exciting aspects of the clinic expansion plan is that not only are we bringing additional services to the citizens of Winston County, we will create new quality jobs and recruit medical providers into the county.”

Lakeland Community Hospital is a 49-bed acute care hospital. The hospital offers healthcare services to the area, including a 24/7 emergency room, intensive care unit, inpatient medical detoxification, diagnostic imaging, home health services and inpatient geriatric behavioral health care. Lakeland is the only 5-Star rated hospital in Alabama.