HUNTSVILLE – On a sublime spring day, another facility that will soon be added to the growing Huntsville Hospital Health System was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting Tuesday.
The Huntsville Hospital Gateway Medical Clinic, just outside of Gate 9 at Redstone Arsenal, will open May 1. Meanwhile, Army, hospital and civic leaders gathered under a sunny blue sky to launch the system’s newest healthcare location.
Patients seeking comprehensive, convenient primary care services with Huntsville Hospital will have another option. The clinic will serve the fast-growing area of Redstone Arsenal and surrounding community.
Dr. Rachel M. Jones, a former Army major, will lead the site after numerous years as a physician for the Army and, most recently, Huntsville Hospital Physician Care at Madison.
“Being an experienced Army physician, the challenges of managing my patients daily, along with meeting required Army standards, made for an incredibly rewarding experience,” Jones said. “It also gave me a unique perspective on medicine and an amazing opportunity to better connect with patients, both military and civilian. I look forward to using all that I’ve learned throughout my career to lead the new HH Gateway Medical Clinic to great heights.”
A Huntsville native and 2007 University of Alabama in Huntsville graduate, Jones completed medical school at Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. After finishing her Army residency in 2016 and serving four years at Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla., the mother of three had a chance to return to Huntsville Hospital, where she once worked as a pharmacy technician before starting her journey as a physician.
“Wanting to work close to home, Huntsville Hospital presented my family with the perfect opportunity to return to Huntsville and serve the community,” she said. “Having worked as a pharmacy tech at Huntsville Hospital prior to medical school, I knew I wanted to come back and work there again someday.”
Open to adults ages 18 and older, Gateway Medical Clinic will provide primary care, labs, ultrasounds, complete physicals for sports participation or employment, preventive medical screenings, collaborative care of patients with chronic medical conditions, and immunizations for those traveling to other countries.
CEO Jeff Samz said the health system began exploring the possibility of a primary care clinic outside Gate 9 to keep up with present and anticipated demand as identified by leaders at Redstone Arsenal, the FBI and other nearby agencies.
“The decision to open a primary care clinic near Redstone Arsenal reflects our commitment to ensuring convenient access to quality health care,” he said. “Our mission is to support the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve, and this expansion allows us to fulfill that mission by providing comprehensive services where they’re needed most.”
With Huntsville now the largest city by population in Alabama and the second-best place to live in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report, the system released a statement saying “there’s never been a better time to bring more essential medical care to citizens.’’
“Increasing the footprint of our primary care services is critical for addressing the growing health care needs of our community,” said Josh Hewiett, Senior Vice President of Physician Services. “By opening Gateway Medical Clinic, we are not only expanding medical services but also fostering stronger patient-provider relationships, promoting preventive care and helping improve health outcomes for individuals in our area.”
Gateway Medical Clinic will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and closed for lunch from noon-1 p.m. The office will take most insurance policies, including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
For information, visit huntsvillehospital.org/gateway-clinic.
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