Video: New Clinic Opens In Smithville

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SMITHVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Hundreds gathered at the new location of Access Family Health Services for a dedication service.

The previous location for the medical care center was destroyed in the 2011 tornado that hit Smithville.

After nearly three years of planning and construction, Access family health services is opening their doors.

The $3,000,000 project is more than 12,000 square feet and is housed on land donated by Smithville Baptist Church.

Access Family Health services will make care more convenient for veterans in need of medical attention.

“We are already pulling people from Lee, Itawamba and over in the edge of Alabama here, it’s going to be great. Veterans are not going to have to drive to Memphis for first class treatment,” said Ira Kennedy, who is retired from the National Guard.

“This new clinic represents recovery to me. Smithville continued uninterrupted with their services to our 4,000 veterans in North Mississippi from the Houlka, Tremont, Tupelo and of course, Smithville locations. And it was uninterrupted and kept our veterans from having to travel all the way into Memphis to secure primary care,” said Dr. Diane Knight, CEO of the Memphis VA Medical Center.

Access Family Health Services will not only be a convenience for veterans in need of medical attention but with larger facilities it will benefit the entire community.

“We have nine exam rooms, we also have a trauma treatment room with an ambulance entrance, a covered entrance that people can come in out of the weather. We also have a room for telehealth services that’s dedicated for telemedicine. We have digital x ray in the new clinic which we did not have. We also have space for a pharmacy, we haven’t opened the pharmacy but we are looking at in the future, hopefully having an in house pharmacy, so we feel like we have all the services that a rural community would need under one roof,” Marilyn Sumerford, of Access Family Health Services.

The project was funded in part by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration and officials hope to complete the project without any debt.