International Community Health Services opens
clinic in Othello Building
Holly Park Medical and Dental Clinic will
serve Southeast Seattle in new state-of-the-art facility
SEATTLE—January 22, 2005—From humble beginning 30 years ago
in a store front on Maynard Avenue South in Seattle's
International District, International Community Health Services has steadily expanded
and gained community support by serving the healthcare needs of
Asians and Pacific Islanders. On January 22, this non-profit
organization celebrated the grand opening of a new 12,000
square-foot facility on the second floor of the Othello
Building, securing their on-going place in the lives of many residents of
Southeast Seattle.
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Members of the ICHS Board of Directors
join County Exec. Ron Sims and members of the Seattle City
Council for the official ribbon cutting. |
According to Paul Fitzgerald, Development
Program Manager with Seattle Housing Authority, "We are delighted
that ICHS decided to move their clinic to the Othello Building. ICHS built a beautiful clinic that will serve the community for many
years to come. The Othello Building with the clinic, attractive
affordable housing and new retail is like a shiny new gem in the
neighborhood."
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Odelia Wang, clinic employee, shows a new exam room during a
tour of the facility. |
The Holly Park Clinic was originally located
in 1996 on
MLK, Jr. Way S., but was displaced from its original
location by Sound Transit's plans for LINK Light Rail. ICHS embraced
the opportunity to relocate its clinic within the redeveloped
neighborhood, just a few blocks west at 3815 S. Othello St. The third
and fourth floors will contain 24 low-income apartments. The first
floor will be leased as commercial space. Parking for clinic
patients is located on a surface lot adjacent to the building and
below ground.
The new clinic space includes 12 exam rooms and
six dental operatories, which will allow the clinic to better serve
its constituents. |
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Clinic management staff is aware that the demand for culturally relevant and linguistically
appropriate services will continue to grow. Census 2000 data
confirms that Asian/Pacific Americans are one of the fastest growing
ethnic groups in the state. “In fact, the demand for services
outgrew the old location several years ago. Low-income options
for healthcare, offered through ICHS, are more vital as uninsured
populations expand. In the new century, immigrant populations
will continue to grow,” says Executive Director
Dorothy Wong. The new clinic,
located on the second floor of the Othello Building at 3815 South
Othello Street, will accommodate three times as many patients as the
old location.
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In 2003, ICHS served more than 11,000
patients, and hosted an equal number of community participants
in its health education and prevention classes. The growth of
the Holly Park Clinic includes the addition of 2 new dental exam
chairs, 6 new medical exam rooms and
laboratory. Twice as many medical patients will have access to
primary services, and ICHS expects to see a 30 percent increase
in its capacity to see dental patients in the new clinic.
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