The DeKalb County Health Department transitioning into a new, expanded facility at 286 Tiger Drive to increase patient capacity and improve operational efficiency.
Health Department Director Michael Railling said the department is currently operating with limited clinical services through Wednesday as staff members finalize the setup of the new building. Railling said all services, including primary care and general clinic operations, are scheduled to return to full capacity on Thursday.
“The design features that, you know, are three-dimensional, it’s it’s well exceeded what I expected,” Railling said. “Everyone that comes in here that’s been helping, you know, either working on our data, hooking up phones, people helping move, have complimented on how beautiful a building this is, um, so I I’m just super proud of it.”
Railling said the new facility features 10 clinic rooms, an increase from the six rooms available at the previous location. Railling said the building also includes a dedicated community room for hosting meetings and a more efficient floor plan designed to improve patient flow.
“We offer, services, primary care services to the public on a sliding fee scale, um, if individuals don’t have insurance, so, um, so those individuals that, you know, slip through the cracks, we’re able to see them and we go off their family size and income, you know, and and some that, you know, meet the federal poverty guidelines may receive all the services for as little as $10,” Railling said. “So when you look at that, you know, that public that that population of the public that does not have insurance, we’re kind of the, you know, the safety net for them.”
Railling said the facility features local artwork by Tony Luna and a one-directional flow system to help patients navigate between lab work and clinical spaces. Railling said the department has also installed a water refill station and digital message stations in the lobby to enhance the patient experience.
“The way the setup is as far as flow, the the ability for them to use, you know, to get their specimens for lab and be worked up and brought to the clinic space, um, it’s on one-directional flow so it makes it a lot easier for them to be able to navigate,” Railling said. “The the med storage areas are centrally located now for in between all the clinic rooms, so it’s easily accessible and so the nurses can get back and forth, uh, quicker and not having to cro- go across the building space.”
Railling said the department is already answering phones and assisting walk-in patients at the new location, which is situated next door to the former facility. Railling said while the previous building was well-maintained, it was constructed in the early 1970s and was beginning to show signs of wear.
“The only thing I would say is just, you know, just, you know, reminding individuals we are operating out of the new facility as of today,” Railling said. “So, um, we’ve had a few folks that have went to the old facility, um, and we’ve walked them over to the new facility and we’ve got, you know, some signage and things that have went out, you know, media we’ve contacted media just informing individuals, but letting them know we’re in we are operating out of the new facility.”
A formal ribbon cutting for the new facility is tentatively planned for September 3.
