A Year of Making a Difference
Surpassing all expectations, OLE Health’s center on the campus of NorthBay Medical Center celebrated its first anniversary today (Nov. 6, 2019).
Located in NorthBay Health Plaza, the health center continues to expand services and serve thousands of Fairfield residents who in the past struggled to find affordable and convenient health care.
The partnership between OLE Health and NorthBay Health has proved successful because it gives more local residents access to seamless and comprehensive health services, said Alicia Hardy, 
Chief Executive Officer at OLE Health.
“This is a perfect union of two patient-focused, quality-based health care providers,” said Wayne Gietz, Vice President of Ambulatory Services for NorthBay Health. “In a very short period of time, OLE Health has reached out to those who need a medical ‘home’ and promptly delivered high-quality care sorely needed by an underserved population.”
”We knew there was a need when we expanded to this second location, but the patient volume exceeded our expectations by about 30 percent,” said Hardy. Patient visits for the site were projected to be 1,870 for the year; the actual number of patient visits totaled 2,675.
OLE Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) caring for a vulnerable segment of the community, including the uninsured, Medi-Cal families, and seniors. As one of the few providers in this region to continually accept Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal patients, OLE Health also helps patients enroll in health insurance.
Location is another reason the center has been so busy. In the heart of the city, in medical offices provided by NorthBay Health, OLE Health’s clinic operates near neighborhoods where many of its clients reside. The 2,000-square-foot center at 1101 B. Gale Wilson Blvd., Suite 101-C, opened on Nov. 5 last year.
Olinda Plancarte, a registered nurse at OLE Health, sees examples every day of the positive impact of the care being offered at the health center, including a 57-year-old man who had not seen a doctor in 15 years.
“This gentleman went to NorthBay’s ER with lower extremity swelling,” said Plancarte. “His care there led to a diagnosis, among other things, of right-side heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. He is now an established OLE Heath patient with a great relationship with our providers. He also is being seen by the wonderful staff of NorthBay Home Health. This partnership has made a significant impact on this patient. We change people’s lives.”
Hardy added, “Together, OLE Health and NorthBay Health are bridging the gaps for the under-insured, the newly insured and the uninsured, and we look forward to continue our partnership to address the ongoing need for health care in the region.”
While he said it is difficult to quantify exactly how many, Gietz is certain more patients can avoid the emergency room because they will be healthier and stay healthy.
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