The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Stronghurst:
A little warm and a little cramped, but the dental staff at Eagle View Community Health System is quite excited.
Their small quarters this week of a rented "Tooth-Mobile" is only temporary for a few hours to help them through the moving process into their newly expanded facility.
According to Melinda Whiteman, Administrator for Eagle View systems, their shovels were ready from the moment they received federal stimulus grant dollars, just weeks after they applied in June of "09 through the federal Capital Improvement Program.
Of the $545,000 grant Eagle View received through American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a portion of that was used for the dental expansion in Stronghurst.
The dollars for remodeling the former dentist office into a satellite office of Brent Pharmacy is coming out of other funds, Whiteman said.
With new laws passed, pharmacies may now operate a satellite office with a certified technician.
Via a tele-pharmacy technology, speakers and a screen will allow customers to actually view and talk live to the pharmacist in Oquawka.
Eagle View has increased storage for the dental office in Stronghurst and stations (dental chairs) from three to four with a potential of 6.
Eagle View Health System began thirty years ago in Oquawka, formerly Henderson County Rural Health, but the name may have been misleading. Funding has never come from county or state dollars, and services have never been limited to Henderson County. Federal dollars help support medical and dental services to all, regardless of ability to pay and now have expanded under Whiteman's guidance, into Stronghurst and Macomb and serves residents living in Henderson, Warren, Mercer, and McDonough counties.
The three facilities have 47 employees in Oquawka, Stronghurst, and Macomb with an annual budget of $3.6 million.
The facility helps meet a need as the closest offices of this type are in the Quad Cities and in Virginia, IL. Although it's help put some back to work, there's a list of more who want to come on board. Two dentists will be added this summer bringing the total to five-1 in Stronghurst, 2 in Macomb, and 2 in Oquawka. In Stronghurst Dr. Olson will complete his two years and is moving to Utah as Dr. and Mrs. Rob Anderson will come from Arizona with his family of three children.
From left: Jennifer Wagy Dental Assistant and Kelsey Guile Dental Hydenist, visit with a young patient while Dr. Andrew Olson checks his exray in the small temporary quarters of a rented "toothmobile" in front of their office. Monday, they, along with Dental assistant Emily Mowen (not shown) will be moved into the newly completed expansion of an up-to-date dental facility in Stronghurst thanks to an ARRA stimulus grant to Eagle View Health System of $545,000.