A new Family Health Associates medical clinic in Umatilla is expected to provide faster and more convenient care for Umatilla residents.

The clinic, located at the Umatilla Hospital District building at 1890 7th St., opens Thursday. The public was invited to an open house on Tuesday night and toured the building’s six exam rooms, procedure room and storage and office areas.

Clinic manager Jolene Lloyd said the new clinic will help FHA better serve its Umatilla patients, but it also helps relieve some crowding at their Hermiston location on the Good Shepherd Health Care System campus.

“We have space issues in Hermiston because we’ve grown so much,” she said. “We’re practically Velcro-ing employees to the ceiling, so this will free up some space.”

Dr. Derek Earl, FHA’s medical director, said they have about 1,200 patients from Umatilla, so opening up a location there was a “natural fit.” He said they already had 35 patients scheduled to be seen in the first two days the new clinic will be open.

“We’re excited to be here,” he said.

The building was originally occupied by Encore Wellness 4 Life, which provided medical care under a contract with the Umatilla Hospital District. When the district decided to end its contract with Encore and put out a request for proposals, Family Health Associates was one of several entities that submitted one, Earl said.

The Umatilla clinic will offer all of the same services as the Hermiston location — including physicals, casting, minor procedures, pediatrics and concussion care — with the exception of their cosmetic clinic.

Lloyd said patients should still call the main line at 541-567-6434 to schedule appointments. Umatilla taxpayers whose money funds the Umatilla Hospital District will be “fast-tracked” for appointments with FHA, Lloyd said, as part of the agreement with the hospital district.

Shera Salverda, a primary care nurse practitioner, will provide care in Umatilla Monday through Wednesday while the rest of FHA’s providers will take turns covering Thursday and Friday. The clinic will be open from 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.