The UK College of Nursing Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center Celebrates its Grand Opening

See a list of the ribbon cutters at the end of this story.

The UK College of Nursing Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center celebrated its Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, November 11 in downtown Wilmore, Ky.

The mayor of Wilmore, UK Healthcare leadership, the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce, and many community members participated in the ribbon cutting and celebrated not only the opening of the Health Center, but also its namesake, Dr. Phyllis D. Corbitt who served the Wilmore community as a family physician in the same location for over forty years.

This faculty-run community health center treats patients with common illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, allergy symptoms, sore throats and skin infections. The center also administers immunizations, provides patient education and counseling, physicals and pre-employment health screenings.

The center is very important to the Jessamine county community. During the period when the clinic was closed some residents had to find transportation to Lexington to receive care, which for some, is a complex and costly ordeal.

Hugh Sims, III, CEO, CAS, CMR, Promotional and Engagement Consultant is delighted to welcome the Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center to Wilmore. “When Dr. Corbitt began her well deserved retirement, she left a huge void in Wilmore, and in the short time that it has been here, the UK College of Nursing Health Center has done a fantastic job of working to fill that void. I am looking forward to many years of working with the staff of the Health Center as we work side by side to provide Wilmore and Jessamine County residents with the most affordable and accessible health care.”

In addition to fulfilling a need for accessible basic health services in Jessamine County, the clinic provides a space where students from the UK College of Nursing can train under faculty in a clinical setting. In a recent report titled, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” the Institute of Medicine challenged the next generation of nurses to practice to the full extent of their knowledge and training. The new clinic accomplishes this objective by allowing students to see the range of health services a nurse practitioner is able to deliver in a small community.

“It’s nice for us to be able to demonstrate to our students how you practice to the extent of your license,” said Sharon Lock, professor, director of faculty practice and coordinator of the primary care doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program at the UK College of Nursing. “Some faculty members can practice here, and we can place our students here so they can see how a nurse practitioner-run clinic works.”

Practitioners at the Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center collaborate with Dr. Sam Matheny in the UK Department of Family and Community Medicine on cases requiring more complex care. The clinic will operate under a limited services licensure and accepts most insurance providers.

“The clinic is not only an opportunity for community engagement, but it signifies our commitment for advancing integrative and collaborative UK HealthCare learning and working environments,” Janie Heath, dean of the College of Nursing and Warwick Professor of Nursing, said.

To make an appointment at the clinic, call 859-858-0339. The clinic is located at 317 East Main St.

The individuals in the photograph of the ribbon cutting are, form left to right:

• Hugh Sims, III, CEO, CAS, CMR, Promotional and Engagement Consultant
• Kevin A. Pierce, MD, MPH, Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine
• Samuel C. Matheny, MD, MPH, Assistant Provost for Global Health Initiatives
• Patricia B. Howard, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Executive Vice Dean of Academic Affairs and Partnerships, UK CON
• Sharon E. Lock, PhD, APRN, FNAP, FAANP, Clinic Director, UK CON
• Janie Heath, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, Dean, UK College of Nursing (UK CON)
• Phyllis D. Corbitt, MD
• Harold Rainwater, M.S., Mayor, Wilmore, Kentucky
• John McDaniel, Pharm.D., owner, Sims Drugs
• Amy C. DelRe, Faculty Practice Manager, UK CON
• Karen K. Minton, MPA, Associate Dean, Administration and Finance, UK CON
• Representative Russ A. Meyer, House District 39