Clinic operated by UT School of Nursing celebrates two decades of an idea that provides community
and state health care needs
HOUSTON – (April 17, 2009) – When The University of Texas Health Services (UTHS) opened its doors in 1991, the two health care providers were lucky to see two patients a day.
Julie Lindenberg, D.N.P., the current director and assistant professor at the UT School of Nursing, checks out a patient at UT Health Services.
Now, a plan that began 20 years ago with Thomas Mackey, Ph.D., associate dean for practice at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, has a health care team of 18 and logs 11,000 patient visits a year.
“We are filling a niche in primary care and occupational health that was lacking in the Texas Medical Center,” said Mackey about fulfilling his mission for the clinic, which has seen 45,000 different patients since it opened. “There were some smaller company clinics, but nothing on this scale.”
UTHS, located at University Center Tower, started with an annual revenue of less than $80,000 and grew that to $1.6 million in fiscal year 2007-2008.
Employee health is offered through contracts with 77 companies, including the UT Health Science Center, hospitals, media outlets, city and state agencies and private companies. Some of this work takes UTHS employees to other cities throughout Texas, including Beaumont, San Antonio, Waco, Austin, Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Waco, Harlingen, Lubbock, Amarillo and San Angelo. Individuals may access primary care through traditional insurance with multiple managed care organizations.
“I started here in 1992,” said Julie Lindenberg, D.N.P., the current director and assistant professor at the UT School of Nursing. “I like to split my time between administration, clinical teaching and practice. I never want to give up practicing.”
Family nurse practitioners at UTHS are involved in patient care and clinical operations, as well as teaching at the nursing school. Lindenberg also oversees the nurse practitioner students who rotate through the clinic.
“I have grown individually with the practice as the patients have become more complex and elderly,” Lindenberg said.
“The UTHS is a national model and frequently has visitors who want to learn from us,” said Patricia Starck, D.S.N., dean of the UT School of Nursing, who had the initial idea for the clinic. “The clinic helps us achieve our mission, not only in practice, but in education and research as well.”
UT Health Services is located in UCT at 7000 Fannin, Suite 1620. To make an appointment, call (713) 500-3267.