Source: https://nativenewsonline.net/health/new-health-center-will-consolidate-care-offer-traditional-healing-for-tribal-members-in-southwest-oregon
BY KAILI BERG FEBRUARY 07, 2024
The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw (CTCLUSI) is opening a new healthcare center offering traditional and modern care for Tribal members in southwest Oregon.
Three Rivers Health Center is slated to open at the end of March and will feature ten treatment rooms, a full-service pharmacy with walk-up and drive-through services, and an onsite lab. The center will offer three distinct tracts of care, including immediate care, routine primary care, and a care concierge model aimed at managing patients both inside and outside of the care system.
John Reeves, Confederated Tribe of Coos Healthcare Administrator, told Native News Online the center will launch a telehealth solution connecting the tribe’s three distinct geographic locations across a five-county service area.
Reeves explained that a lack of connectivity among providers left Tribal members experiencing siloed care — requiring multiple appointments at various locations around the area. Pharmacies have also been closing in the area, creating extended wait times.
“The messages we are getting from our community are that providers in the local Coos Bay/North Bend area transition quickly both in and out. This has created long wait times to establish and re-establish care with our care providers locally,” Reeves told Native News Online.
Tribal members in the area access health care through tribal partner organizaion, local hospitals, outpatient facilities, and other community care partners.
“Overall, in 2023 alone, Confederated Tribes of Coos Tribal Members accessed care at 263 different healthcare facilities,” Reeves said.
CTCLUSI purchased the site back in 2022 in hopes of creating a healthcare facility for Tribal members within Coos Bay, North Bend, Florence, and Eugene, Oregon.
“This center has been a long time in the making,” Iliana Montiel, CTCLUSI Council Member and Assistant Director of Health Services, said in a statement. “There has long been an identified need for extended mental health and primary health services for the area, and I’m just so happy to see that we’re finally getting this center going for our community,”
The healthcare center will offer a range of services that integrate traditional and modern practices. The care model will support mind, body, and spirit through medical, behavioral, pharmacy, telehealth, and laboratory services.
“The Three Rivers Health Center is not just a medical facility; it is a testament to our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community,” Reeves said. “We are integrating traditional knowledge with modern healthcare practices to provide a holistic approach to wellness. This center will be a beacon of hope and health for Coos, Curry and Douglas counties. And it will soon become an anchor as we continue to plan and expand services for our members who reside in Lane and Lincoln counties.”