Orchid Health is bringing its award-winning local health care to the Veneta Fern Ridge communities. The organization has secured a building and location next to the Elmira High School and is planning to open its doors in June 2021.
Orchid Health offers comprehensive whole-person primary care (physical and mental health) and immediate care services to all ages in a respectful and compassionate manner. They provide an extremely professional yet local and friendly environment for families and individuals, whether you’re looking to improve your health, alleviate negative symptoms, seek a specialist consult, or have any other health questions. Orchid Fern Ridge will be open to all, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
"The [Fern Ridge School] District has been collaborating with Orchid Health for over a year on this School Based-Community Health Clinic project,” says Gary Carpenter, Superintendent of Fern Ridge School District. “The School Board and I are excited about being a small part of assisting in bringing this tremendous resource to not only our students, but the broader Fern Ridge community."
The District has been extremely generous in partnering on the facility site development contributing financial support and will serve as a close partner in ensuring students, teachers, staff, and parents have a quality, local option for their healthcare needs. As a school-based health clinic, Orchid Health offers free pediatric and mental health care to students of the district.
Orchid Health’s recent survey of over 500 patients at Oakridge and Estacada locations reported back that over 95% of patients would recommend Orchid to friends and family and that their provider listened carefully and respectfully to them. Orchid intends to bring the same quality of care to Fern Ridge.
Fern Ridge will be Orchid Health’s fourth clinic. In 2014, they opened their first location in Oakridge. Two years later, they opened the Wade Creek Clinic in Estacada, which was awarded the School-Based Health Clinic of the Year for Clinical Excellence in 2018. In 2020, they opened their third clinic in Blue River, Oregon.
“We’re excited to join the already vibrant communities surrounding Fern Ridge in helping provide access to care and resources to those in need,” says future clinic manager Nancy Schwan-Howard.
By partnering with local organizations, businesses, and community members, Orchid Health gives back to their community through partnerships, events, fundraisers, and donation drives.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Orchid Health retained all its employees and continues to offer free telehealth visits. When the Holiday Farm Fire broke out in the McKenzie River Valley and Orchid Health lost their third clinic, Orchid committed to care in the valley by organizing team members and partnering with local organizations to provide a temporary space to continue care for the McKenzie River community until a mobile clinic could be secured.
The mobile clinic allows Orchid to continue providing care to McKenzie River residents displaced from the Holiday Farm fire in the Eugene/Springfield area.
Orchid Health’s effort to support their community in times of crises, won them the Oregon Office of Rural Health’s Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year Award.
“We’re focused on local care, local hiring, and local partnership,” co-founder and executive founder Orion Falvey says, “we are excited to offer our compassionate, old fashion style health care with professional cutting edge clinical excellence to the Veneta and Elmira communities.”
Orchid Health is hiring primary care providers, mental health clinicians, nursing team members, medical assistants, and front office staff. For job announcements and up to date information on Orchid Health’s grand opening, follow their Facebook.