Filling a neighborhood health care need
Standing in front of freshly unboxed mobile vitals monitors and a brand new baby scale, Dr. Heather-john Montero can barely find the words as she beams with pride. "The community needs this," she says, "I need this."
Partnering with Novant Health, Movement Foundation has opened a comprehensive medical center as part of an ongoing effort to serve communities excluded from access to healthcare. The Movement Family Wellness Center opened its doors on Dec. 12.
The facility is located inside the Movement Center, a 40,0000-square-feet community and nonprofit co-working space. Novant Health did their own study on the neighborhood surrounding the Movement Center and found its health care needs would be best served by 11 primary care doctors and seven pediatricians. That neighborhood only had four primary care doctors. They had zero pediatricians.
Montero is now one of two physicians, one a dedicated pediatrician, housed inside the brand new Movement Family Wellness Center. She's spent most of her career providing health care in underserved communities and knows the importance of having a dedicated family physician.
"Here at the Movement Family Wellness Center, you're assigned one doctor. So every time the patient comes in they're going to see the same doctor," says Montero. "That doctor gets to know you, forwards and backwards, they get to know all of the things about you so we can take better care of the patients that are here."
The wellness center services go beyond just check-ups and flu shots. This is a full-scale, state-of-the-art medical provider. The Movement Family Wellness Center will provide preventive and primary care in addition to behavioral health services. The clinic will be staffed with a family physician and a pediatrician as well as a clinical social worker who will work alongside doctors to address diet, mental health, addictions and other health concerns.
The Movement Family Wellness Center is the final tenant in the Movement Center. It will occupy approximately 6,000 square feet and include six primary care exam rooms, six pediatric exam rooms and a lab.
"Novant Health is thrilled to partner with Movement Foundation," said Dr. Bill Hammill, chairman and system service line leader for department of pediatrics. "We are impressed with Movement's approach and commitment to this community and look forward to teaming up with them to bring health care to the families who live and work in this area."
"Our vision has always been to use the resources God has blessed us with to bring life, light and hope to our communities by investing in and repurposing real estate," says Movement Foundation and Movement Mortgage founder Casey Crawford. "We are honored to help amplify the work of outstanding partners like Novant Health and their passionate physicians and staff who are committed to loving and caring for people in our communities."
"Everything is coming from a place where people really, really, really want to serve," adds Montero. "And I really, really, really want to serve."
For more information on the Movement Family Wellness Center powered by Novant Health, call 980-302-9000.
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