NorthShore Health Centers’ Gary clinic is now open, offering Northwest Indiana patients quality, comprehensive healthcare to everyone without exclusion. The location first opened last spring, undergoing extensive renovations and expansions to bring the Gary community the plethora of services NorthShore is known for.
The Gary Health Center, located on 2200 Grant Street, offers primary care and family practice, dental services, behavioral health, optometry, pediatrics, lab services such as blood work, and OB/GYN women’s health services. All care is provided by an experienced team of experts who embrace NorthShore’s mission.
“This is a beautiful location that is going to make a huge impact on this community,” Sairaya Griffin, practice manager for the Gary Health Center, said. “I’m excited. Gary has needed something like this. We make healthcare accessible for everybody, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your financial status is. We’re a patient-centered, one-stop shop.”
Dr. Firas Adhami, DMD, began working out of the Gary clinic in early April. Previously, he served patients at NorthShore’s Merrillville Health Center and heard from them about how Gary needed more healthcare options.
“During the first few months I spent in Merrillville, I noticed that many of the patients there were coming from Gary,” Adhami said. “I would say about half of the patients NorthShore sees at the Merrillville and Lake Station offices come from Gary. I think that the addition of this Gary location is great because instead of having these patients come to us, we’re coming to them. We’re putting a footprint in this community. The need is great, and we’re happy to be here.”
NorthShore is still in the process of adding more services to the Gary Health Center, such as a soon-to-open pharmacy. The location is also looking to add imaging services such as x-rays, as well as extended care options such as chiropractic services, in the future.
The clinic also employs a patient navigator who provides health insurance enrollment services. All of NorthShore’s navigators are trained to help uninsured or underinsured patients understand their insurance options and eliminate barriers preventing them from accessing care.
“Our navigator is ready to help those who might not have insurance to apply for Medicaid,” Griffin said. “We also offer a sliding scale option for patients who don’t have insurance but have too much income for Medicaid. We never turn patients away.”
Griffin is excited to see the Gary community learn about NorthShore’s services, and the entire staff is ready to welcome patients both new and returning.
“Seeing what this location has grown into and what it has the potential to become is heartwarming,” Griffin said. “I’m just so excited to get this location open for the community.”
The Gary NorthShore Health Center will be having a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, May 20, at 1 p.m., and the community is welcome to attend to see the renovations and visit with the team. The Gary location is open from Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m to 6 p.m., and on Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To learn more about NorthShore, or to schedule an appointment, visit northshorehealth.org.
