Meet Your Merchant: Health center gets a new home

Sierra Nevada Health Center moved to a new location on Research Way this month and will be celebrating an open house on July 16.

"We're definitely excited," said Paula Guzman, development coordinator of Nevada Health Centers Inc. "It's a bigger facility and more functional."

The health center, one of 17 throughout the state, is a nonprofit organization that receives federal funding through the Health Resources Administration.

It has been in Carson City since 1973, and recently moved from Mountain Street.

Most insurances are accepted, including Medicare, Medicaid and NV Check-up. A sliding scale is available for those without insurance, providing up to a 75 percent discount depending on income.

"We believe everyone is entitled to quality health care regardless of where they live," Guzman said. "We're here to provide excellent quality."

Doctor Ali Shahin and certified physicians assistants Stephanie Callister and Carla Cordova-Eduave offer family practice services as well as women's health and preventative care.

Dr. Shahin is from Germany and moved to Detroit to practice family medicine before doing a one-year fellowship at the University of Nevada, Reno.

He has worked at the Sierra Nevada Health Center for six months.

"It's excellent," he said. "We see everything, from birth to the elderly. We have a very modern, up-to-date facility. It's a great place to work."

One of the new features is an in-house pharmacy, with discounted rates on prescriptions.

"We really try to get medications people need every day, like insulin, at an extremely reduced rate," said Gayl Fording, practice manager.

She said that the purpose of the center is to provide an alternative to expensive services like the emergency room.

"If we don't maintain our patients, they'll just end up back in the ER," Fording said. "We make sure we get as many resources as we can to make sure our patients are on a pathway to wellness and that they stay on that path."

For patients who can't afford medications, programs are available to provide them for free.

Guzman said that 60 percent of the staff is bilingual to better serve a diverse population.

"We're culturally sensitive," she said. "We need to be able to communicate with individuals based on different backgrounds."

She said she could recommend Dr. Shahin and all others employed throughout the state.

"All of our providers, whether doctors or physicians assistants, all abide by the same mission philosophy," she said. "We're here for the patients."

The health center will host a grand opening on July 16 with entertainment and raffle prizes along with guided tours. Mayor Bob Crowell will be among the featured speakers.

For more information, go to nvrhc.org or call (775) 887-5140.