In 2000, a local hospital in west Dayton closed suddenly, leaving the city’s largest public health clinic—and its thousands of patients—without a home. Kettering Health Dayton, then Grandview Medical Center, assumed responsibility for the clinic and immediately began securing funds to rebuild and reestablish the clinic’s vital role in the community.
Cassano Health Center (now Kettering Health Cassano Health Center) opened in 2003, providing high-quality healthcare primarily to patients who are uninsured or underinsured.
Today, the 20,000-square-foot health center is Dayton’s largest primary and specialty care clinic. The state-of-the-art facility serves roughly 20,000 patient visits per year.
Kelly Fackel serves as vice president of Development for Grandview Foundation, which plays an instrumental role in the health center’s funding. In fact, the health center was the foundation’s first project 20 years ago. “It is very important to our mission of supporting medical education and access to healthcare for the underserved,” she said.
Comprehensive care and vital education
The health center offers many services to patients under one roof, reducing the need for patients to arrange for travel back and forth.
“Patients can have their primary care visit, get their labs done, have an X-ray, get their medication, and also be referred to a specialist,” Kelly explained.
The health center provides family medicine and several specialties, including
- Internal medicine
- Neurology
- Nephrology
- General surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Hand surgery
“That’s really the magic—that the specialists are there,” Kelly said. “Because a lot of specialists don’t take Medicaid patients in their office practices, or they don’t see people who don’t have insurance.”
In addition to the primary and specialty services, the center offers a laboratory, pharmacy, imaging, orthopedic procedures and casting, as well as case management and social work.
The health center also serves as a teaching clinic. Of Kettering Health Dayton’s 12 residency programs, which train roughly 140 physicians each year, seven have a teaching clinic at the health center.
Revitalizing the community’s medical home
After nearly 20 years, the health center was ready for structural, technological, and equipment updates. So, Grandview Foundation fundraised for the health center once again.
“Our goal was to do a complete renovation—every square inch of the facility was touched—and expand services,” said Kelly.
All in all, the renovations were a $4 million project. The foundation raised $2.5 million, with $1.25 million coming from federal funding secured by Congressman Mike Turner.
In May, the health center reopened. Renovations and updates included seven exam rooms (increasing capacity by 25%); upgraded technology, medical equipment, and teaching areas; and additional services including integrated behavioral health and telepsychiatry services.
Congressman Turner visited in August to tour the facility and see the updates he helped fund, which was reminiscent of his support of the facility more than two decades ago.
At a press conference that followed the tour, Congressman Turner said, “I participated 20 years ago when they were choosing this location and seeking some federal funds to help in the opening of this facility. It’s nice to be able to participate in the funding call for the renovation of this facility.”
Sharing her gratitude for the congressman’s support, Brenda Kuhn, interim president at Kettering Health Dayton, shared that “The funds he invested into the center furthers its reach and role of connecting Dayton citizens who are underinsured or uninsured to life-changing, values-based healthcare.”
The patient response to the revitalized space can be encapsulated in two words: admiration and gratefulness. The staff and residents are appreciative for the investment in their work environment and the elevated care they can now provide.
“We’re providing access to a population that really needs our help, and I think there’s nothing more mission-focused we do than serve our population,” said Kelly. “It’s very much tied to caring for the community, improving health, quality of life, and providing access to all.”
