It's not a house call, but Kadlec Health System is working to bring health care closer to home in West Richland.

Construction officially begins today on a $6.6 million clinic that will bring family practice, pediatric and internal medicine services to the town of about 11,000.

"The efforts of Kadlec Clinic is to bring care to where folks are living," said Dr. W. Hugh Maloney, president of Kadlec Clinic, a multispecialty physician practice with offices in Richland, south Richland, south Kennewick and West Richland.


"We know in West Richland there is a need for primary care services," he said.

Kadlec Health System will break ground at 10:30 a.m.today on the two-story, 19,500-square-foot Kadlec Clinic West Richland Primary Care near Keene and Bombing Range Roads.

The clinic, which eventually will hold a dozen providers, is scheduled to open early next year and initially will house four physicians who have practiced at a temporary West Richland location for about a year, said Jim Hall, a hospital spokesman.

While the health system will own the building, the doctors who are affiliated with Kadlec Medical Center operate the practice.

Before Kadlec's physicians began practicing at the temporary location, West Richland residents had to travel to the Tri-Cities or to Benton City where Prosser Memorial Hospital offered care, said West Richland Mayor Dale Jackson.

"One of the last things you want to do is drive a long distance when you have an acute illness or an acute injury," he said. "I really do view this as a big quality of life issue for our citizens."

The clinic will have X-ray capabilities and a laboratory, Maloney said.

Once it is fully staffed with 12 providers, it eventually could serve up to 36,000 patients, he said.

"There was a big gap and physician need in West Richland," said Rand Wortman, president and chief executive officer of Kadlec Health System. "West Richland's growing incredibly fast."

Its recent growth and continued development mark the need for primary care doctors in the city, Jackson said.

"I think that's a measure of the health of any city - no pun intended," he said. "We're extremely excited."