New health clinic opens in Coarsegold

COARSEGOLD, Calif. (KFSN) -- Healthcare is now a little closer to home for people in Coarsegold. A new health clinic is now open, just weeks after the only clinic in town closed its doors and left hundreds of people without care.

"I'm really excited and very relieved because when Coarsegold medical folded abruptly, all of a sudden there was nothing," patient, Glenn Ward said.

Camarena Health is now open in the Coarsegold Medical Center. It's in the same spot that used to house the Coarsegold Medical Clinic.

Owners of the building say the previous clinic closed because the doctor wasn't making enough money to keep it open. Diane Boland started searching for new companies to take over the spot months before the closure was announced.

"We have a lot of elderly people and they need to be seen immediately for pain, injuries, and because they have a lot of issues and need to be seen. Getting into a new doctor takes months sometimes," explained Boland.

Camarena Health officials also say the clinic will be a two provider office, and they have updated the facility with new equipment.

Camarena Health office manager, Patricia Avila said, "When we heard that the only health provider in Coarsegold is going to be closing their doors, we knew it was our responsibility to step in and provide these services to the community."

Ward says his only option after the clinic closed was to drive to Fresno or Madera for care. He says while there are some small clinics in Oakhurst, there aren't enough services.

"They could hardly do an x-ray or anything. They didn't, they sent us down to Fresno or suggested we go down there. We really need an ER in the Coarsegold, Oakhurst area," Ward said.

Patients can expect to see some familiar faces as the clinic hired the same employees from the previous practice. This is also the 10th health center that Camarena Health has opened in Madera County.