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IHS expands Gallup Indian Medical Center
Thursday, December 2, 2004

The Indian Health Service dedicated an addition to the Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, New Mexico, on Wednesday.

The $12.5 million new ambulatory care building will serve Indians living in northern New Mexico. The 40,000-square-foot building consolidates and enhances services by replacing 6 smaller, inadequately configured facilities.

“The new ambulatory care building will supplement services provided by the IHS Gallup Indian Medical Center on the border of the Navajo Reservation,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. “The new facility will provide much-needed space for the delivery of health care services to tribal members.”

The cost for the new facility was funded mainly through Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements and included design, construction, and equipment. Planning for the renovation and expansion of the facility was based on a growing local user population.

Services provided in the new three-story building will include outpatient pharmacy, internal medicine, family medicine, and dental care. The internal medicine and family medicine clinics will have more exam rooms, and dental services will see an increased number of chairs available.

The new dental clinic has 24 operatories in both open and closed suites to provide routine and specialty care. The pharmacy is also equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to provide efficient and safe prescription services. The new building is equipped with cable and wireless infrastructure to support electronic health record formats. Each exam and treatment room has computer access to integrate with laboratory, radiology, and appointment functions while the patient is in the room.

“The waiting space, exam rooms, state-of-the-art equipment, and public spaces in the new building were designed to provide improved services and a more comfortable environment for the people we serve,” stated Dr. Charles W. Grim, IHS Director. “In addition, the expanded space will help IHS efforts to reduce waiting times while continuing to offer quality health care.”

Gallup is located near the Navajo Nation and the Zuni Reservation in northwestern New Mexico.

Relevant Links:
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov

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