Clínica Esperanza Celebrates 1 Year in S. Valley

The owners of a South Valley health clinic knew there was a need to open a place for the uninsured, but they wondered if anybody would come.

A year later, that question has been definitively answered.

“When we opened our doors, we had zero patients,” co-owner Maura Nava said. “Now we have a 3,000-patient base.”

An office visit costs $69 and a specialist, $99.

Clínica La Esperanza opened in October 2011 and will host a community party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the lobby. It is in a shopping center on the southwest corner of Bridge and Isleta at 1010 Bridge SW, Suite B.

“We just wanted to have a little get-together,” Nava said. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to the community for supporting us.”

Nava, who was born and raised in Mexico City, teamed up with Olena Dziuba , who is from the Ukraine, to open the business. Nava once owned a radiography business, so he had knowledge of the industry, while Dziuba handles the financial end of things, having recently graduated from the University of New Mexico with an accounting degree.

Their goal was to offer a place where uninsured residents could get convenient quality medical care. They have tried to do that by offering family health care; a gynecologist; an ear, nose and throat specialist and a pediatrician. They also offer other services like vaccines, physicals, flu shots and X-rays.

“We try to see patients on the same day they call us,” he said.

With the increase in patients, Nava said they have had to add more providers. They started with one doctor when they opened and have increased that to two full-time and one part-time provider.

The clinic also shifted its hours to better accommodate patients. It was open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays but now is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is also open on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We didn’t see much traffic after 6 p.m., so we adjusted the hours, ” he said.

Nava said most of their clients are Mexican immigrants who do not have access to affordable and convenient health care, but those with insurance are also welcome. Clínica La Esperanza accepts patients with Presbyterian, Molina, Lovelace, United Healthcare and Medicaid coverage. Nava said he’s happy with their success so far.

“We have taken up every available space in this building,” he said. “We are bursting at the seams.”
— This article appeared on page 1 of the West Side Journal