Copper Queen Medical Associates (CQMA) Douglas Rural Health Clinic celebrated the beginning of its expansion and renovation project on April 23, with a short program conducted by Copper Queen Community Hospital Chief Executive Officer James Dickson.

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Special guests such as Cochise County Supervisor Ann English, Mayor Michael Gomez, Douglas’ City staff and Copper Queen Board members were present at the ceremony.

Dickson explained to the crowd what the project will consist of and thanked everyone for their support towards this new endeavor that Copper Queen is taking. One of the things he pointed out is the installation of a trailer out of the Clinic to get the doctors out of the areas to be renovated while the construction lasts.

He also said that with the project, a new physical therapy service will be added to the clinic, which will be used for the general public, but especially for children.

“We want to offer the best rehab program on this side of the county,” Dickson said. “We have full-time self-employed rehabilitation’s people that will be able to help anybody here in Douglas so you do not have to go to Sierra Vista to receive the health care.”

One of the plans for CQMA once the renovation is concluded is to look forward to create a relationship with the Tucson Medical Center to bring more doctors into town. The clinic will also have the capacity to do Tele-Medicine, so people can be able to see their cardiologist or other specialized doctor.

“People in Douglas deserves and will have a health care service as good as any other place in the nation,” he said.

The expansion and renovation project will consist on:

· Existing exam rooms and accessory space will be renovated and expanded. Exam rooms will increase from 10-18 rooms, and physical therapy space will increase from 460-1200 square feet.

· Additional office space will be added for clinic managers.

· Existing lights and ceiling mounted equipment will be salvaged where possible, and all new ceilings will match existing materials. Existing roof mounted mechanical will be re balanced to serve the new layout of the space.

· Floor level will be modified for easier ADA access.

· Additional parking will be provided at the north end of the parking lot.

· Architect for the project will be DLR Group, Architecture Engineering Planning Interiors, from Tucson.

· Builder/Contractor for the project is Diversified Design & Construction Inc., from Tucson.

· Capacity is expanding with the February arrival of Nurse Practitioner Christina Gorff, RN, and upcoming summer arrivals of family practice physician Karam Makhni, M.D from London, England and a bilingual pediatrician Rachel Martin-Camp, MD, from Tucson.

· Total cost of the project will be $750,000 plus equipment.

The construction will begin within the next two weeks and is expected to be concluded in a four-month period and services will continue as usual during the construction.

Copper Queen Medical Associates Douglas’s Clinic is located at 100 West Fifth Street. Phone number is (520) 364-7659.