In 1991, a group of citizen’s of Clay County recognized a great need for primary care services and began to investigate the possibilities of bringing primary care services to the area. The Arkansas Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Community Health Centers of Arkansas (the Primary Care Association in Arkansas) participated in a needs study of this area and it was designated as a high priority area in need of primary care in the State.
The Board of Directors, after a thorough investigation and review of the reports from the Arkansas Department of Health the Primary Care Association, made a decision that a Community Health Center was the most appropriate way to provide comprehensive primary health care to this service area. A grant was written for funding and the corporation was formed in 1992. The Corning site opened in 1994 and the Pocahontas site opened in 2000. A third location was opened in Walnut Ridge in 2005. The fourth site opened in Ash Flat in 2014. Paragould, our 5th site opened November 2015. Our Newest site, Salem opened July 2017.
After expanding into the different communities, the Board of Directors decided to change the name from Corning Area Healthcare, Inc. to 1st Choice Healthcare, Inc. to reflect a more diverse service area.
In 2017, 1st Choice Healthcare celebrated our 25th Anniversary. This is a significant accomplishment as it marks a quarter of a century in business. A lot has changed in those twenty five years but more importantly, a lot has stayed the same. We have remained true to our mission, vision and values, and 1st Choice continues to excel. The support of the community remains a significant component in our ability to maintain and grow our services and to provide care to those in need. The overwhelming support of these communities in the northeast corner of the state provides us an opportunity to both reflect on our past and to look forward to our future.
What began as one medical clinic with just 12 employees has risen up with more than 170 employees and 6 medical clinic locations in northeast and central Arkansas to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves. The organization serves 18,329 patients with over 65,600 visits.
1 st Choice has countless achievements and accomplishments. As a testament to its commitment to excellence, 1 st Choice earned 100% compliance for successful demonstration of compliance with Health Center Program requirements. Health centers deliver affordable, accessible, cost-effective, and quality primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Health centers advance a model of coordinated, comprehensive, and patient-centered care, integrating medical, mental health, and patient support services.
1st Choice Healthcare is a non-profit, FTCA Deemed, Joint Commission accredited, Federally Qualified Health Center. We welcome all members of our community, especially those unable to afford care. We are founded and governed by our community. Our Board of Directors are members from the community and different community agencies. We work closely with government and health and human services agencies to bring you complete, high quality, and affordable healthcare. Our Mission Statement states: 1st Choice Healthcare, a community health center, providing compassionate, affordable health care for all individuals to improve lives and build healthier communities. We have 6 clinic sites located in: Corning, Clay County; Pocahontas, Randolph County; Walnut Ridge, Lawrence County, Ash Flat, Sharp County, Paragould, Greene County, and Salem Fulton County. We serve patients from the following counties: Clay, Randolph, Lawrence, Greene, Sharp , and Fulton Counties in Arkansas and Butler and Ripley Counties in Missouri. Our Centers are open 5 days a week, with extended hours on Saturdays to accommodate patient needs. We have a patient portal system, where patients can access their records and can send messages to request refills. At 1st Choice Healthcare, we embrace and practice patient-centered care and we strive to provide all of our patients with the best possible medical care. We encourage each patient to take an active role in their healthcare. We believe that in addition to helping patients when they are sick, we can and should help guide them in making healthy choices for preventive care.
