Organization Founded: 1970

Patients seen in 2007: 9,876

Appointments provided in 2007: 38,231

Staff on site: 72

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On July 1, 2007, People’s Clinic merged with Clinica Campesina Family Health Services, creating the new Clinica Family Health Services organization.

The two organizations have always had much in common. Both were both federally qualified community health centers. Both were dedicated to providing primary medical care to low-income, uninsured people. Since 1970, People’s had served the city of Boulder, while Clinica provided health care to people living in southeastern Boulder County, Broomfield County and western Adams County since opening in Lafayette in 1977. Executive staff of both organizations agreed that joining the two health care organizations made sense.

“For three decades, our two community health centers have provided similar services to similar patient populations in neighboring communities. By joining forces, we will make both organizations stronger and provide a more secure medical safety net to the underserved,” said Connie Holden, acting chief executive officer of People’s Clinic. Merging the two clinics definitely made good business sense, said Pete Leibig, Clinica’s president and CEO. Larger organizations can purchase products and services at a lower cost, and are better able to weather financial storms. Larger organizations can also take advantage of opportunities to improve efficiency and quality – such as an electronic health record system – that small organizations couldn’t afford. And as a single organization, Clinica and People’s will be able to reduce overhead and management costs.

While it has come under Clinica’s federal tax identification number and now utilizes Clinica’s policies and procedures, People’s Clinic has kept its name and most of its staff. Its mission and services have also remained largely unchanged. However, the merger has brought some significant changes to People’s. The capital campaign for a new facility in Boulder has been revived. Clinica has already purchased a building close to Boulder Community Hospital and is in the process of raising the necessary funds to remodel the structure (see: People’s Capital Campaign under “Giving”). Also, Clinica has expanded its electronic health record system to People’s in order to improve efficiency and patients’ health outcomes (see: Electronic Health Record under “About Clinica”).

Four members of the People’s Board of Directors joined the Clinica board to help run the merged organization. Pete Leibig is now the president and CEO for the merged organization.