I would also just like to take a moment and remind everyone what a great privilege it is living in this wonderful country and having the right to vote. 

If we want to be heard, we must vote!

If we want to support our beliefs, we must vote!

If we want to be part of the solution, we must go out and vote!

Please, please exercise your right and VOTE!

Sincerely,

Eugene Welch

Executive Director

After 15 years of serving the Quincy community that started with rental space above a McDonald, South Cove Quincy has had numerous upgrades, the latest one being the completion of the new state-of-the-art, built-from-the-ground-up clinic at 88 Holmes Street.  To celebrate this milestone, the health center hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, August 23, 2012.   

Quincy could be viewed as the second Chinatown with a higher-than-average Asian population.  According to the latest data made available from Census 2010, Asians account for 24% of the total population in Quincy, compared to only 5.3% across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Quincy clinic serves approximately 12,000 patients, a figure that continues to grow steadily.  South Cove's top management and board of directors recognized that Quincy's Asian population is fast-growing, coupled with the fact that demand has already outgrown supply at the 435 Hancock Street Clinic, which opened in 2007; there is a clear need to expand capacities.  To that end, an $11 million development across from our current location has been in the planning since 2009.  We were thrilled to be crossing the finish line! 

Eugene Welch, in his welcoming remarks, first thanked everyone for coming and acknowledged that often in projects of this magnitude, it is a collective effort and the Quincy building was no different.  He thanked the City of Quincy, Mayor's Office, Quincy City Councilor Brian McNamme, BOND constructions, HDR, Inc., ZEN Associates, Inc., and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for their involvement and work.  South Cove is eternally grateful for all the help it received along the way.  In his speech, Dr. Tang reflected upon the earlier times when the immigrant communities often had difficulty seeking adequate healthcare due to language and culture.  He was so proud of South Cove and its accomplishment over the years, but more importantly, its contributions in advancing the quality of lives of the patients we serve.  Mayor Koch was thrilled to see the completion of the building and how it will provide much needed services to the greater Quincy community.  A native of Quincy, he grew up not too far from this location and remembered how this area used to be and remarked that "it was not pretty."  He was very proud of South Cove and Eugene in what they had done with the land to turn it into something so beautiful and beneficial to area residents. 

(L to R): State Senator John F. Keenan, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch, SCCHC Board President Dr. Stephen Tang, State Representative Tackey Chan and SCCHC Executive Director, Eugene Welch.

"Today is a great day for South Cove and a great day for the City of Quincy," he declared as he concluded his speech amid thunderous applause.   

Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch along with State Senator John F. Keenan and State Representative Tackey Chan, Eugene Welch, Executive Director, and Dr. Stephen Tang, President of the Board of Directors cut the ribbon to mark what surely would be the biggest accomplishment of the health center to date.  Joining the celebration also were South Cove's friends and supporters in the community as well as those involved with the project who put in endless hours and effort to see it through.  Close to 200 guests gathered for the joyous occasion. 

88 Holmes Street Clinic Now Seeing Patients

On Monday, October 15, 2012, the 88 Holmes Street Clinic officially opened its doors to the public.  Pediatrics, Dental, Ob/Gyn, Behavioral Health, Optometry and Social Services made the building their new home. The 21,000 square-feet clinic features a reception area, Social Services, and Pediatrics department with 8 exam rooms on the first floor.  The second floor houses the dental department with 5 operatories, the optometry department exam room/suite and the Behavioral Health department with 4 counseling rooms.  The Ob/Gyn department will occupy the 3rd floor with 4 exam rooms and there are additional 4 exam rooms set aside for specialties.  The top floor has a conference and meeting room with large windows overlooking the skyline of Quincy.  Perhaps what we are most proud of and unique to our building, is the

New 88 Holmes Street Clinic

Scholar rooftop garden designed with Feng-shui and Chinese elements (Wu Xing) in mind, to pay homage to Asian culture and arts.   The new building also sits adjacent to a parking lot of 53 spaces for patients.

The Hancock Street Clinic will soon be undergoing remodeling to expand the Adult Medicine department to 11 exam rooms.  The space where dental, admin office and optometry used to be will be demolished and remodeled into space for a 340B pharmacy. 

It is our vision that between the Hancock St. Clinic and the Holmes St. Clinic, South Cove will provide patients from Quincy and neighboring communities a true one-stop shopping experience for all their medical needs, with health center's signature culturally competent services.

Margaret Cheung: a new addition to the South Cove family

Margaret Cheung

On a side but related note, we would like to welcome a new member to the South Cove family: Margaret Cheung.  She will be the site manager for the 88 Holmes Street Clinic.   Margaret brings an extensive managerial experience with her previously working at the State Street Bank.  She is also very active and well connected to the Quincy community as she has worked as a volunteer with QARI for many years.  In her new role at South Cove, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the new facility, ensuring that it carries the South Cove hallmark of providing high quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate care to all patients that walk into the door.  We have every confidence that under Margaret's leadership, the new 88 Holmes Street clinic will thrive and soon catch up to its Washington Street and Hancock Street peers in terms of volume and the high patient satisfaction level.  Welcome Margaret!   

South Cove's mammography service was launched in 2003.  Now in its ninth year of service, the number of screenings done has risen year after year.  Being able to provide this service in-house has not only allowed us to reach out to those who would otherwise not get screened, but also to educate them about the importance of such and other preventative screenings in the process. 

In the last 12 months (9/2011-8/2012), the unit has screened 4,618 patients, an increase of more than 3 folds from the 1,500 screened back in 2003.  The technology used has also evolved, when the unit first opened in the Washington Street clinic, we were using an analog machine where films would need to be developed.  In 2009, the new Imaging Center opened at the South Street clinic, which included mammography and bone density. When relocated, the unit received an upgrade in both the physical facility and equipment, the analog machine was replaced with a digital one that completely eliminated film developing and couriering, the end result was increased efficiency and patient capacity. 

(L to R): Jane Connors, Judy Su and Wendy Cong of the Mammography Unit

The unit has come a long way and it continues to improve everyday; this is a testament to the dedication and commitment of Judy, Jane and Wendy.  Because of them, every woman wanting and needing a mammogram not only receives one but does so in an affordable and culturally comfortable manner.  Thank you, for a job well done!

South Cove's Pediatrics Department was recognized for its effort in ensuring that pediatrics patients receive all recommended vaccinations at the appropriate age.  The Department of Public Health commended South Cove for "excellence in protecting children by providing timely immunization and for excellent stewardship of publicly-funded vaccines."  A certificate of "Outstanding Achievement in Immunization" was presented to South Cove by the Immunization Program Medical Director, Dr. Susan M. Lett of the Massachusetts DPH.