Rural health clinic to open in Hessmer

A new rural health clinic will be opening in Hessmer later this year.

Avoyelles Hospital CEO Tim Curry said the hospital's third health clinic is in the design stage at this time, but plans are for that phase to be finished soon. Remodeling the former Detel office building -- next door to the former Cajun Sports -- should be finished in late October or early November.

"We are very excited about this expansion of health care services to this area of the parish," Curry said. "As soon as this project is finished, we will move on to fourth clinic."

Curry would not reveal where the fourth clinic will be located. Several sites are under consideration.

"Our goal is to make quality health care easily available and accessible to all areas of this parish," he said.

The building to be leased for the clinic site had housed the Upper Room church. Upper Room is moving into the former Cajun Sports, which closed in April.

The clinic will be staffed with a nurse practicioner, nurse and receptionist, Curry said.

Avoyelles Hospital currently operates two clinics in Marksville.

Talk about a Hessmer clinic has been brewing since Allegiance Health Management purchased the hospital in 2018.

Allegiance CEO Rock Bordelon is a native of Hessmer and his parents still live there.

Although no site for the possible fourth Avoyelles Hospital clinic has been chosen, Curry indicated an ideal choice would be in an underserved area of the parish.

While all of Avoyelles Parish is deemed "underserved" according to national guidelines, residents in some areas of the parish must drive a considerable distance to a medical provider or clinic.

Access to medical care in the parish has improved over the past few years as new providers have opened and existing ones, such as Avoyelles Hospital and Bunkie General, have expanded services.