The Carbon Medical Community Health Center both in Helper and East Carbon are looking at some big changes happening in the near future that will be a huge benefit to their patients that they serve.

Dr. Douglas Perkins, spoke about the transformation happening at the Helper Clinic, “One of the things that will be happening soon and is in the works we will be doubling the size of our clinic. We’ll take over the building next door to us and occupy the one we are currently in as well and this will also in the near future give us some services such as pharmacy and hopefully expand the patient base that we can also see.” Right now when patients need medicine at the Helper Clinic they have to get it from the pharmacy in East Carbon, which is a bit of a hassle for patients. The expansion is looking to take anywhere from three to six months for completion.

As for the East Carbon Clinic they have received a grant which will allow for growth there as well. Perkins explains further, “Expand significantly out there, we are going to try and get a new building that is currently in the works and our old facility we don’t know for certain what’s going to happen with it but we did receive a grant to get a dentist there, full time. We have not had a dentist there for a while but that’s changing as well, so we are quite happy about that.” There is definitely a need for dental services for community members who struggle financially with the expenses of dental care. 

The plans in East Carbon are still fairly new, so plans as far as where a new building will go and what will happen to the old building still needs to be determined. However, the clinic is currently searching for a dentist to fill the full time position at the clinic.

Other services are also offered at the East Carbon Clinic due to the distance to commute to town. “I do a couple of days in East Carbon and a couple of days in the Helper clinic, try to split it up about 50/50. There are also four other providers currently providing services, as well as counseling and we do dietary counseling for diabetics, the WIC program is also housed out there at our facility,” stated Perkins.

Both the Helper and East Carbon Clinic are considered Primary Care Network (PCN) a health plan offered by the Utah Department of Health. To learn more visit their website at http://www.health.utah.gov/pcn/index.html