When Packard Community Clinic was started in Ann Arbor in 1973, its founder, Dr. Jerry Walden, envisioned a medical clinic that would build community through health-care accessibility.

The commitment was to establish an excellent source of primary medical care, regardless of a patient's ability to pay, while also provide a care continuum that included personal attention, health education, social work and counseling.

That commitment continues, and today the clinic, renamed Packard Health, is Washtenaw County's only non-profit, private medical practice.

Innovations pursued by staff over the years - like using the patient-centered medical home model of care and adopting electronic records - set Packard Health at the leading edge of what health-care reform proponents advocate.

This year, Packard Health opened its second clinic in offices on the west side of Ann Arbor.

By expanding - for the first time in its history - Packard Health is bringing its unique service model to more clients in this county. And its timing - when unemployment is near 10 percent and health-care costs continue to grow rapidly - makes the move even more meaningful.

The goal, with the expansion, is to double the annual patient volume, officials told AnnArbor.com this summer.

Two physicians will practice from the new office, which will include eight examination rooms, space for chronic disease management and mental health services, and a food pantry.

The office on North Maple Road is being leased from the St. Joseph Mercy Health System, which runs an adjacent urgent care canter. The St. Joseph system is helping offset the startup costs, estimated at about $600,000 for the first year.

Packard Health maintains operations and its core mission by treating patients who are both insured and uninsured. But as the ratio tips to more uninsured patients, its funding is shifting, prompting officials to seek alternative funding options.

Still, the emphasis remains on the patient -and not just with direct care. Packard Health helps enroll eligible clients in publicly funded health plans, operates a food pantry, offers transportation assistance, runs wellness classes and events and works on all aspects of accessibility. One example: providing extended hours and Spanish-speaking staff.

"Patients choose Packard Health for many reasons, above all because they want a dependable health care home and a continuous relationship with an experienced doctor," according to the clinic's Web site.

"...They support our mission and take comfort in knowing that at Packard, everyone is welcome and everyone is treated equally."

Paula Gardner is Business Director at AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at paulagardner@annarbor.com or (734) 623-2586.

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