A Message From The CEO - Wayne Rowe

As Quality of Life Health Services, Inc. celebrates its thirtieth anniversary, it can be recognized that the symbol for this milestone is the pearl. There are several parallels that can be drawn between the fantastic voyage experienced by our organization and the symbolism of the pearl.

First, the making of a natural pearl begins when a grain of sand from the ocean floor works its way into the body of a pearl-bearing mollusk. Just as the concept for the organization was the idea of Dr. Roberta Watts, the seed was planted among a group of committed leaders in the community. The mollusk secretes mother of pearl to coat the grain of sand over and over again until it becomes a round and smooth shape. This is similar to the revisions and input provided by advisors and community leaders during the developmental phase.

All over the world, the pearl is known as a symbol of power. It is the emblem of female generative power, just as our organization has derived its mission and vision from Roberta Watts. She has been the impetus that has led to what this organization has accomplished over the past thirty (30) years.

Just as the pearl develops over time, Quality of Life can count itself as a work in progress. A work designed to make access to health care become a reality. Beginning with just one small clinic on Tuscaloosa Avenue, the operation expanded to East Gadsden in less than five years of existence. Unexpectedly high growth led to approval for funding of a second medical center, the J.W. Stewart Medical Center, named after the first medical director of Etowah Quality of Life Council, Inc. and a founding Board Member, Dr. J.W. Stewart. That same year, the Gadsden neighborhood Health Clinic’s name changed to the Roberta O. Watts Neighborhood Health Clinic as a way of recognizing the efforts of Dr. Watts. For the next few years, the corporation was able to maintain a period of high growth, which ultimately led to a merger with the Sardis City Medical Center in 1985, the first rural health center. By the end of the first decade of operation, Quality of Life had three health care centers serving both rural and urban populations in Etowah and surrounding counties. In 1993, Etowah Quality of Life initiated expansion by opening a fourth medical center in Alabama City, the Canterberry Family Practice Center, as our agency took over a family practice that had recently closed. Emma Sansom ProCare and the Campbell Court ProCare were funded through the Public Housing Primary Care Program (PHPC) in 1993, the health care needs of public housing residents in Gadsden were addressed as a response to identified needs in those communities. By the end of 1994, six medical centers existed, and plans for two additional centers were pending. Quality of Life was forging a new direction and becoming a major health care network in northeastern Alabama. As a result of its expanding scope outside the confines of the Etowah County area, in 1995, Etowah Quality of Life Council, Inc. changed its name to Quality of Life Health Services, Inc. This better identified the Quality of Life commitment to improve health care in all of northeastern Alabama. During that same year, Quality of Life opened a seventh health center. Designed to meet the health care needs of the rural population of western Etowah and surrounding counties, the W.T. Scruggs Medical Center was the second rural health center in the Quality of Life Health Network and targeted not only western Etowah County but a portion of Blount County. In December 1997, a forty-six thousand square foot, comprehensive primary health care center, the Quality of Life Health Complex, was completed. This Complex now serves as the administrative headquarters and site for comprehensive health services for the Quality of Life Health Network, which offers specialized health care services for each member of the family. During 1999, Quality of Health Services took over operations of an existing rural health center, Cullman Quality Health Care. That center represented a further expansion of the QOL service area. In the year 2000, Quality of Life Health Services received funding to open a ninth primary care center in Anniston, Alabama. Anniston Quality Health Care opened in February of 2001 and is located on Noble Street in downtown Anniston. In July of 2002, Quality of Life closed the Campbell Court location of ProCare opting for a larger location in Colley Homes. A federally-funded renovation project resulted in a facility with 2,600 square feet. In late 2002 Quality of Life was awarded an Oral Access Grant for Anniston. As a result, a dental component was added to the primary care operation in Anniston during 2003. In the Cullman community, a capital project was undertaken during 2003. A new forty-five hundred square foot health care facility was constructed. The grand opening of the facility took place on May 16, 2003. This facility does also have the capacity for a dental expansion at some future date.

On November 21, 2003 Quality of Life Health Services was notified that the application was approved to establish a School-Based Health Center on the campus of the Oscar Adams Elementary School. The Gadsden Family and Student Health Solutions now operates in a twenty-six hundred square foot facility on Raley Street. This program includes not only medical care for students and their families, but dental, mental health, and health education services. In April of 2004, Quality of Life reopened the J.W. Stewart Neighborhood Health Clinic. The clinic became a part of the J.W. Stewart Centro de Excelencia, located at 1409 Springfield Avenue, which will house other agencies and services for non-English speaking clients in the future.

During 2005, several new projects were implemented at Quality of Life Health Services. Anniston Quality Health Care was selected as the site of the primary care clinic for adult claimants of the Tolbert settlement. A capital project has been completed in conjunction with this project resulting in the entire upstairs area (approximately 7,000 square feet) being renovated, the dental department and other areas downstairs being renovated.

On March 1, 2005, Talladega Quality Health Care opened its doors in a newly renovated building. Through a collaborative effort with the Rushing Springs District Missionary Baptist Association, Quality of Life pursued and secured federal funding to establish a primary care site at 110 Spring Street North in Talladega and an Outreach Hub at the Rushing Springs District Office.

In 2006, Quality of Life secured funds to expand the provider staffing at the J.W. Stewart and Sardis City sites. This was for the purpose of serving even more patients. As a part of the Expanded Medical Capacity (EMC), an outreach location has been established in Blount County, Alabama. This site, which originally was made possible by utilizing EMC funds, has recently been funded as a New Access Point. This means that Blount Quality Health Care is now funded to have its own full-time clinic which will open November 1, 2007.

As you can see we are a work in progress. Our organization has been committed to improving access to health care for people in northeastern Alabama. Just as the pearl continually regenerates, Quality of Life seeks to replicate itself in communities where there are barriers to health care. And, just as our mission states we believe that all people have a right to health care, therefore, our plan is to continue our quest until there is 100% access to quality health care in northeastern Alabama. We owe our success to our founders, and we can never forget to carry on the mission with which we have been entrusted.