Clinica Family Health® is a non-profit community health center with a unique model of care that offers children and adults access to affordable medical and dental care, as well as behavioral health care and pharmacy services – all under one roof. We sat down with Simon Smith, CEO of Clinica Family Health, to ask him more about their approach to healthcare, and goals for their community.
Q: What are some of Clinica’s goals? And what are their challenges?
A: Our vision is that every person in the community has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay. That’s why we provide high-quality, affordable healthcare made available to everyone in the community. As a non-profit, working to do this sustainably and well, finding funding and resources are a challenge. Maintaining a competitive workforce with competitive wages is tough. Being a competitive employer in this space can be a challenge.
That’s why it’s our goal to continue to find creative and innovative ways to meet the growing, extending needs of the community.
Q: What has the shift to Community Banks of Colorado been like?
A: We started to work with Community Banks of Colorado while trying to find a lender to work with us on a pretty ambitious project, our new facility in Lafayette,Colorado, that we’ve just completed. They brought us a great deal of flexibility in our financing plans while being local enough to really understand why it’s important to come alongside us as a banking partner. We looked to do some tax credit financing there that three or four banks across the country would typically need to get involved in. And Community Banks of Colorado was able to do this. They have a local presence, they understand the local community we are in, and they appreciate our role in the community.
Q: Our promise is to bank with common sense. What role do you think common sense plays in healthcare?
A: “I haven’t felt as though Clinica was just a set of numbers that was run through an algorithmic decision making process. Rather, our unique needs and banking hopes were put in the context of what we meant right here. What Clinica was and what Clinica is in the community. And so, it wasn’t an abstract decision. It was a decision made in partnership around understanding our organization in the community. Trusting that and valuing that.
Q: We put people first. How have you seen that at Clinica?
A: “High quality outcomes. Bringing forth the highest quality of health – medical, pharmacy, mental, and dental – with dedicated staff that deeply cares about every patient. Everyone can come to Clinica if they want to.
Q: What has been the biggest impact of working with Community Banks of Colorado?
A: “We don’t have a high profit margin. We pour our services back into the community. We have different resource flows that are challenging. But that doesn’t mean we have a bad business model. Having a banking partner that understands the context of our business model and environment and the uniqueness of our financial and banking needs as a result of that, and how important it is to the community – that blend has been really critical.”
– Simon Smith, CEO, Clinica Family Health
Learn more about how Community Banks of Colorado can empower you to make an impact in your local community. Call our Client Services & Solutions team at 877.877.0395.