Since opening its second Fairfield health center in November in NorthBay Health Plaza — located across the street from NorthBay Medical Center — OLE Health has reached a growing population of those most vulnerable when it comes to finding health care.

Many local residents now have access to convenient, seamless and comprehensive health services they didn’t before its opening. OLE Health’s integrated model of care, which puts the patient at the center of his or her own healthcare team, is complemented by NorthBay Healthcare’s wide-ranging advanced medical services.

Patients are currently seen Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Thursdays, 8 a.m. until noon. Health care providers can also be reached by phone from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 7 to 11 a.m. on Saturday.

“Our services have expanded since opening day,” noted Racquel Beltran, director of operations for the center. “Our hope is to soon be open 40 hours a week. The patients are definitely there.”

Unlike NorthBay’s hospitals, OLE Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and receives enhanced federal reimbursement for providing health care to underserved populations.

Since opening in November 2018 through June 3, there have been 1,147 patients who have made a total of 1,840 visits to the Fairfield center.

“We are seeing patients who have not seen a primary care physician in years,” observed Beltran. “They have finally been able to establish a home for their health care.”

NorthBay President and CEO B. Konard Jones concurred, adding, “As we grow this partnership, we’ll have a healthier community that doesn’t need to come to the emergency room for basic needs. And that means our emergency room staff members will be able to more efficiently and effectively focus on the most serious injuries and illnesses.”