Mid-State Health opened a brand new 10,000 square-foot medical clinic in Bristol, New Hampshire in 2014 offering affordable healthcare services and career opportunities to some of the 21,000 rural residents of central New Hampshire.

Mid-State Health has been an integral part of the health care delivery system and safety net for the rural region surrounding Bristol, New Hampshire. The newly designated Federally Qualified Health Center serves patients from Alexandria, Bridgewater, Bristol, Canaan, Danbury, Grafton, Groton, Hebron, Hill, New Hampton, Rumney and Wilmot. Mid-State provides health care to the community on a sliding fee scale, subsidizing the care for those unable to pay.

With $2.7 million in USDA Rural Development community facility funding, Mid-State was able to build a branch location that would offer affordable healthcare services in the fields of family medicine, pediatrics, adult medicine, behavioral health, substance abuse and pharmaceuticals, as well as offering dental services and training.  The new facility enabled Mid-State to build a much-needed dental facility and hire its first dental hygienist.

Mid-State Health does far more than make sound primary healthcare accessible to all regardless of ability to pay. With the new 10,000 square foot USDA-funded facility also came seven new high-paying job opportunities, with at least five more healthcare positions in the making. This small health center is creating huge opportunities for both the people it serves and those it will employ.  Distance-learning technology has also enabled Mid-State to on-site train dental student interns, further developing New Hampshire’s rural economy.

Like so many other community facilities made possible by USDA, Mid-State is positively influencing rural health outcomes and boosting the rural economy.