Return of Louisville health care office providing life-saving services to underserved community

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The return of a health care office in southwest Louisville is being called a game-changer.

After years of providing care to people in the city's Algonquin neighborhood and the surrounding area, the office on Dixie Highway closed a few years ago.

Now that it has reopened, it has a new mission, a new health care provider, and could be in a position to save lives in an underserved community.

Eric Trabue was in the office on Tuesday for a regular check-up, but said he's doing something he hasn't done in years — seeing a provider in his own neighborhood.

"I actually grew up down the street, over here on 17th and Lee," Trabue said. "And I've been coming over here to this doctor for a long time, you know, ever since I was like 9 years old."

UofL Health acquired the office, now UofL Physicians - Primary Care North Dixie, last September. It's in a community nurse practitioner Kalyn Churchill said is underserved.

Kalyn Churchill-UofL Health North Dixie 2-13-24 — Kalyn Churchill takes patient Eric Trabue's blood pressure during a routine check-up at the reopened UofL Health Physicians - Primary Care North Dixie office on Dixie Highway in Louisville's Algonquin neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (WDRB photo)

"This area in particular needs a primary care physician for multiple reasons," said Churchill. "Geographically, most of this area is underserved. And having something close to home, most of these patients do not have reliable transportation, and they don't walk to this location."

Before the office reopened, Churchill said a lot of people were simply neglecting their health.

"I've seen a lot of patients since September that, you know, honestly have just not taken their blood pressure medicine because they haven't had the access to health care locally," she said.

For Trabue, a devastating wakeup call motivated him to focus on his health.

"I come here for the diabetes and the high blood pressure and just a little bit of everything," he said. "It took for my mother to pass away for me to really take things serious."

Because of that, he was happy to welcome Churchill and the UofL Health clinic to the neighborhood.

"You know, I was first on the list and they called me. I didn't know, I was like 'OK, you don't have to tell me twice, I'm on my way,'" he said.

Despite its popularity, UofL Health said the office is accepting new patients. Prospective patients can call the office at (502) 772-1822 to make an appointment. For more information about the office, or to schedule an appointment online, click here.

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