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We are a non-profit, FTCA Deemed, community governed organization. 1st Choice Healthcare has a governing body, composed of volunteers from the communities we serve. At least 51% of the board must be consumers of our services.
That means you are always assured that 1st Choice Healthcare centers are
At 1st Choice Healthcare, we embrace and practice patient-centered care and we strive to provide all of our patients with the best possible medical care. We encourage each patient to take an active role in their healthcare. We believe that in addition to helping patients when they are sick, we can and should help guide them in making healthy choices for preventive care.
1st Choice Healthcare is a non-profit, Joint Commission accredited, Federally Qualified Health Center. We welcome all members of our community, especially those unable to afford care. We are founded and governed by our community. Our Board of Directors is made up of your friends and neighbors as well as members from other community agencies. We work closely with government and health and human services agencies to bring you complete, high quality, and affordable healthcare.
1st Choice Healthcare, a community health center, providing compassionate, affordable health care for all individuals to improve lives and build healthier communities.
Six Arkansas locations: Corning, Pocahontas, Walnut Ridge, Ash Flat, Paragould, and Salem.
We have top of the line family and pediatric Advanced Nurse Practitioners.
1st Choice Healthcare is home to 13 of the area’s most respected physicians with extended hours for your convenience.
With a wide variety of services and programs, 1st Choice Healthcare is always here to serve your medical needs.
In 1991, a group of citizen’s of Clay County recognized a great need for primary care services and began to investigate the possibilities of bringing primary care services to the area.
The Arkansas Department of Health, Office of Primary Care, and Community Health Centers of Arkansas (the Primary Care Association in Arkansas) participated in a needs study of this area and it was designated as a high priority area in need of primary care in the State.
The Board of Directors, after a thorough investigation and review of the reports from the Arkansas Department of Health the Primary Care Association, made a decision that a Community Health Center was the most appropriate way to provide a comprehensive primary health care to this service area.
A grant was written for funding and 1st Choice Healthcare was incorporated in 1992. The Corning clinic opened on March 7, 1994. An expansion site was approved and the Pocahontas Clinic was established and opened on March 1, 2000. On March 14, 2005, the Walnut Ridge site was established and moved to a brand new facility in April 2013.
In 2014, a fourth location was added in Ash Flat, Arkansas. This also brought the re-branding of Corning Area Healthcare, Inc. to 1st Choice Healthcare. Changing the corporate name was necessary because of the expansion of our health care services into new counties. In November 2015, a fifth location was added in Paragould, Arkansas. July 2017 the sixth location was added in Salem, Arkansas.
We are proud to serve health care services in Clay, Randolph, Lawrence, Sharp, Fulton, Greene, and the surrounding counties.
At the heart of any community is the health of its people. At 1st Choice Healthcare, our reason for being is your health and the health of your neighbors. Whether you’re sick and need treatment, or want to stay healthy and avoid problems, we’re here for you. We have programs and screenings to help you learn about your health and make healthy choices. We take time to make sure you understand what’s going on and how we can help.