CEO Yamini Teegala said it became clear within the first six months after the pharmacy opened in June 2022 that it would have to expand. She said last year, the pharmacy filled almost 55,000 prescriptions — way over what the health center budgeted.
“Last year we realized that we were going to run out of space in the pharmacy and we needed more windows for point of sale as well as being able to serve more people,” Teegala said. “We needed more space as well as more staff, so based on that we started thinking about this expansion side.”
Teegala said that with other local pharmacies closing one-by-one, Rocking Horse is well-positioned to serve the community and absorb more customers.
“We obviously have seen the increase in demand but we were already anticipating an increase in demand, because I have to say we have a very excellent pharmacy crew and they all provide excellent education and guidance,” Teegala said.
Teegala said that many pharmacy customers are non-English speakers, so having a second window can reduce delays in service as interpreters work with clients.
Rocking Horse in recent years has seen a growth in immigrant patients, particularly from Haiti, and it has adapted its care and resources to meet the needs of the population.
Lee said that the pharmacy now has an additional medication dispensing machine to keep up with demand and more workstations. The new space took over previous administrative space, which is now being relocated to a different area on the second floor.
The expanded pharmacy is completed and being used, while the administrative offices are expected to be finished around the end of September or early October, Lee said.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Rocking Horse’s operation, and its 15th year as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Teegala said. Rocking Horse will hold an open house on Aug. 7 at 3:30 — during National Health Center Week. Teegala said the health center will showcase that it is positioning itself in the market to meet the needs of its patients.
“There are so many community members and individuals that know us from the first 10 years and have not seen much of us in the latter 15 and are very interested to understand what we have done in the past 15 as an FQHC ...” Teegala said. “That’s the intention to open that week for some open house and tours for individuals that will come across, come through to be able to see the entire facility.”
Rocking Horse recently hit the milestone of almost 15,000 patients, but Teegala said she is more focused on the responsibility of treating a large portion of Springfield’s population.
“I feel anxious because it’s a responsibility that 15,000 people trust us that we could provide healthcare,” Teegala said.
This expansion comes around the same time as Rocking Horse and the Springfield City School District are preparing to open the area’s first School Based Health Center. Lee said Rocking Horse staff has been hired and is undergoing training, and moving in will begin around Aug. 1.
All 7,700 Springfield students in the district’s 17 buildings from preschool to 12th grade can use the clinic with parental consent. Because it is a Federally Qualified Health Center, all patients will be accepted regardless of their ability to pay.
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