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Year In Review
Quality of Life Health Services Inc. celebrated its
32nd year of operation in 2009.
It was first organized as a private, nonprofit board
in 1977 by Dr. Roberta O. Watts and a group of volunteers from the
community. Gadsden Neighborhood Health Center (now known as the
Roberta O. Watts Medical Center) opened the next year. The first
medical director for the project was Dr. J.W. Stewart.
Since that time, the organization has expanded to
include 16 centers in nine counties by applying for and receiving
additional federal funds to establish health centers in medically
underserved areas.
QOLHS added three new locations to its network of
care in 2009: Douglas Medical Center (Marshall County), Wadley
Cornerstone Clinic (Randolph County) and Dekalb Quality Health Care
(Dekalb County). Quality of Life also started the new year off with
an expansion of the Gadsden Family and Student Health Solutions
clinic located near Adams Elementary to include a new location at
Gadsden City High School. The organization also received funding to
upgrade its telecommunication system, further develop electronic
health records and to repair its largest facility. QOLHS also
received funding to build a new medical center in Geraldine,
Alabama, and construction will begin soon.
“Quality of Life Health Services, Inc. was very
blessed to qualify for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) funds, which provided $2 billion for grants to health
centers. This provided a great opportunity for our organization to
serve more patients and upgrade our infrastructure and facilities.
There have not been any health center grants for major capital
expenses in more than 10 years; therefore, we have been grateful for
these funds,” said Rowe.
Wayne Rowe has been chief executive officer of QOLHS
for more than 28 years.
Quality of Life is accredited by the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which is a process to
show a commitment to quality, and has enjoyed that status since it
was first accredited in 1998.
Quality of Life also continued its commitment to
quality community health-care education in 2009 by hosting a record
number of participants at the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Forum,
which featured two-time breast cancer survivor and news anchor,
Brenda Ladun. Quality of Life also hosted record numbers at the
sixth annual Andy Chaffin Renal Disease and Diabetes Summit and the
Pastors’ Appreciation Luncheon. Quality
of Life hosted the fourth annual H.O.P.E. Celebration with the East
Gadsden Boys and Girls Club and participated in the 16th
Annual Youth Christmas Party with the Greater Gadsden Housing
Authority and the city of Gadsden Parks and Recreation.
Name of agency:
Quality of Life
Health Services, Inc.
Address of headquarters:
1411 Piedmont Cutoff, Gadsden
Phone number:
492-0131 or
1-888-490-0131
CEO:
Wayne C. Rowe
Other key people:
Dr. Deborah Smith, Chief Medical Officer; Elizabeth Hithon Hart,
Executive Assistant to the C.E.O.; Anthony Gardner, Chief Financial
Officer; Amelia Wofford, Planning and Development Officer; Rhonda
Terrell, Operations Officer; Yvonne George, Corporate Compliance
Officer; Karen Parker, Special Projects Officer; Shaftel Benson,
Community Outreach Officer; and Ashley Brown, Public Relations and
Marketing Director
Operated by:
A private, nonprofit board of directors, who serve as volunteers to
give oversight to the program. Those holding leadership positions on
the board are Robert Turk, president; Judge Bobby Junkins, vice
president; Jean Ward, treasurer; Noble Cylar, assistant treasurer;
and Tarva Vaughn, secretary.
Population served:
Any individual in
Northeast Alabama who needs medical, dental, behavioral health,
vision and eye care, X-ray, laboratory or pharmacy services. QOLHS
Inc. accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most forms of private insurance.
QOLHS has a sliding fee scale for patients with low income. Since
QOLHS receives federal funds that constitute approximately 48
percent of the total budget of the corporation, the federal poverty
guidelines (based on income and family size) act as the
determination for a sliding fee scale. The network of health centers
does not provide free services, but rather affordable health care
and ancillary services.
Services provided:
Services vary from site to site. Services include pediatrics;
medical services; gynecology; dental; pharmacy; eye care; patient
education; laboratory; diagnostic testing; prescription assistance
program; community outreach; basic behavioral health screening;
substance abuse prevention education; case management; and social
services.
Hours of operation:
All sites open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The QOL
Complex site is open until 8 p.m. Mondays.
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