MVHC to Expand in Muskingum County

The Muskingum Valley Health Center group will be expanding in Muskingum County in the next year.

Chief Executive Officer Dan Atkinson said the four locations served over 30,000 people last year and they project over 40,000 to be served in the coming years which would make it the second largest health center in the state.

The growth in Muskingum County has led to an almost 30 day wait for appointments. Atkinson said expansion is absolutely necessary this year.

"Those who struggle finding access whether because the insurance they have or the lack of insurance they have, the health center is an option and we live in an area of the country where access to care is certainly a struggle for everyone and so that’s what our mission’s about is really how to we expand that access and provide more access to primary care services," said Atkinson.

The health center is interested in expanding in South Zanesville where they project they could serve an additional 6,000 patients seeking primary health care.

The proposed location would occupy the second floor of the Muskingum County Business Incubator, a renovation that would take about nine months, it would become operational in early 2017. Both MCBI and the health center would work independently in the building.

"MCBI has been great working with, and helping us identify the space as far as what would potentially be a good location for the health center," said Atkinson. "Our operations and their operations will be very much separate. That’s why we need to construct a new parking lot that would allow access to the second floor on a ground level and that way it will allow them to continue what they do and not disrupt anything that they offer "

The health center will apply for a half a million dollars in a state capital request to fund the project but Atkinson said no matter the outcome of the request, they will expand somewhere in the county.The project could take longer without those funds.

The commissioners and Atkinson will further discuss the possibility before a plan becomes final.