NorthShore Health Centers celebrated the grand opening of its new Hammond clinic on Thursday. The location, which began seeing patients in January, is easier to access and features more services, updated facilities, and vastly expanded parking compared to its previous Hammond office, all while continuing to operate under its mission to provide quality care to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.
Congressman Frank Mrvan visited the clinic to take part in Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and joined a tour led by David Hall, CEO of NorthShore Health Centers. Hall highlighted the building’s new, full-service pharmacy, chiropractic services, reproductive health care options, and an expanded and accessible dental suite. The new facilities allow for NorthShore’s providers to offer more comprehensive and convenient care.
“The team deserved an upgrade; they did a fantastic job for a very long time in a smaller building that we simply outgrew years ago,” Hall said. “This allows us to grow and serve our patients better. All of our services are here under one roof, with new equipment and computers: everything’s brand new for both the patients and the staff. It’s been a huge increase in morale and patient satisfaction.”
Congressman Mrvan, who has an extensive background in supporting community-first initiatives in Hammond as the previous North Township Trustee, praised the expansion and NorthShore’s mission-driven work in the area.
“NorthShore makes an impact for healthcare,” Congressman Mrvan said. “They are an asset not only to Hammond, but to Indiana’s 1st Congressional District for all that they do throughout Lake and Porter Counties.”
The congressman signed the American Rescue Plan, which provided funding for federally qualified clinics such as NorthShore, as well as an official letter that will help secure further funding to protect the work they do in providing access to patient populations that cannot otherwise afford healthcare.
“What we learned from the pandemic is that access is one of the most important parts, especially in our vulnerable populations and black and brown communities,” Mrvan said. “Qualified health centers increase our ability to be preventative in the broader scheme of health crises. The sliding scale payments they offer patients are an anchor to Northwest Indiana and Hammond.”
With Hammond’s hospital scaling down its operations, NorthShore is set to fill a critical role with its expanded services.
“NorthShore’s main purpose is to fill voids,” Hall said. “It doesn’t matter what insurance you have, or if you have no insurance. Even with the hospital leaving, we’re still able to provide the community with affordable, quality healthcare.”
The new Hammond clinic is located at 1828 165th Street and is open Monday to Saturday. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit northshorehealth.org
