letter to the editor

A vision for community healthcare in Thomaston

Fri, 06/09/2023 - 12:15pm

The Knox Clinic is excited to propose the creation of a Community Health Center on a portion of the Thomaston Green adjacent to Route 1. We value the downtown connection, the high visibility and accessibility, including for the peninsula communities we serve, and the ability to further our mission of wellness.

Our belief in wellness consists of more than prescribing a blood pressure medication or filling a cavity, though, in a new community health center, patients would be able to do both under the same roof.  Wellness also comes from yoga classes, meditation gardens, a connection to the beautiful place we live, and shared indoor and outdoor community space that encourages connection. 

Our goal is to create a space that is welcoming and where we as staff would be happy to bring our children and our grandparents to get their care. We will be an open door for quality care whether you make $5,000 a year or $500,000 a year, are 1 years old or 100 years old, we will care for you with dignity and compassion. 

Our preliminary floor plan is for a building footprint of approximately 7,500 sq ft, which is equal to .17 of an acre. The second floor is over one wing, with plans for a rooftop community space over the other wing of the building. Proposed plans and more information is available on our website www.KnoxClinic.org 

The Knox Clinic has been providing medical care to Knox County since 1999. In 2021, the clinic won the Maine Public Health Association’s “Access to Healthcare Award” for the work we did during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  When we say we are dedicated to providing accessible and quality healthcare to our community, we mean it. 

We hope the residents of Thomaston are as enthusiastic about our proposal as we are and will vote YES on Article 5 at the in person town meeting next Wednesday, June 14th, 6 p.m. at the Thomaston Municipal Building. It would be wonderful if we can co-create a vision for a community hub and center of wellness, we hope to see you there!

Meredith Batley is executive director of the Knox Clinic