An historic partnership established at the beginning of 2020 between Laredo College and Gateway Community Health Center for the opening of a clinic at the Laredo College South Campus has proved timely in the face of the pressures the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on community healthcare.
The clinic is housed in the College of Health Sciences Building.
“The need for healthcare services has never been more critical than during this unprecedented pandemic,” Laredo College President Dr. Ricardo J. Solis said. “This innovative partnership gives the community another high-quality option to meet their healthcare needs. I would like to thank the Laredo College Board of Trustees for the extraordinary vision that made this partnership possible.”
South Campus Dean Carolyn Schmies added, “Our partnership with Gateway Community Health Center continues to prove that the South Campus is a pivotal asset for all of Laredo.”
Gateway Community Health Center, a 30-year health services provider, focuses its care on underserved populations in the area.
Gateway CEO Elmo López Jr. said that all six Gateway clinics in Webb, Jim Hogg, and Zapata counties remain open to the community during this difficult time.
He added that Gateway is accepting new patients and encouraging people who do not have a primary care physician to become a patient. Gateway offers medical, dental, and behavioral health care in one place.
“We take all patients, whether they have insurance or not, whether they have money or not. We turn no one away,” López said.
The LC South Campus clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Although appointments are preferred, walk-ins are also welcome.
The clinic staff provides comprehensive medical services and emergency dental services. López said that the limited dental services offered, in compliance with Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order restricting elective and non-emergency dental procedures, will help alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment.
Some of the ailments that qualify as dental emergencies include the following: severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation, pericoronitis or third-molar pain, surgical postoperative osteitis or dry socket dressing changes, dental abscess or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling, facial swelling due to abscessed teeth, intra-oral incision and drainage on certain cases, and dental extractions.
Additionally, the South Campus clinic complies with all city ordinances and works closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City of Laredo Health Department. The staff is taking extraordinary steps to protect patients, employees, and community members.
In addition to implementing all necessary precautions such as social distancing, face covering, and hand-washing, Gateway will soon go a step further with a telemedicine department that will allow clinicians to communicate with patients via computer, phone, or other mobile devices. Virtual visits reduce the contact and allow healthcare providers to visit with the patient without the risk of exposure.
To register as a patient or for additional information, the public can call the appointment hotline at (956) 523-3670 or visit https://gatewaychc.com/.
