Hinton, serving as one of only two urgent care facilities in the immediate area.”
Bailey and Sangodeyi worked with two WVCAP partners, the Center for Rural Health Development and Wyoming County Economic Development Authority( EDA), throughout the process, both of which helped provide the consultive and administrative support necessary to navigate the process of obtaining the clinic. Bailey says this collaboration was necessary for the project’ s success.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO RURAL CARE
Urban communities are often prioritized when it comes to health care. In West Virginia, a state with an abundance of rural areas, many places are lacking essential services needed for the physical and mental well-being of their residents. Following a belief that everyone deserves the right to good health, a precondition necessary to live a productive life, Thomas Bailey and Dr. Olu Sangodeyi went on a mission to improve rural health care in the state through the Three Rivers Clinic in Hinton.
To meet this goal, Bailey and Sangodeyi first needed to acquire the clinic’ s real estate and business assets from former owner Kimberley Huffman. In search of capital, they began to seek out programs and resources to help move the project along and were soon referred to the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust’ s( WVJIT) West Virginia Capital Access Program( WVCAP) by Rob Dearing, co-CEO and loan fund manager of the Center for Rural Health Development.
“ The WVCAP program, when coupled with traditional commercial lending, bridges an important funding gap for specialized rural clinics, like ours, making programs like WVCAP essential for preserving local health care infrastructure.”
MSPG Properties, the real estate holding company for Three Rivers Clinic, received the WVCAP funding, making it possible to grow the clinic into what it is today— an essential resource for Hinton residents in need of health support.
“ WVCAP provided the foundational financial security necessary to maintain consistent operations during the ownership transition,” Bailey says.“ This support allowed the clinic to remain cash-positive while fulfilling its role as a staple for quality health care delivery in
“ We could not have managed the acquisition without the support from them and the Center for Rural Health Development,” Bailey says.“ Economic development agencies, like the Wyoming County EDA, provided regulatory expertise, help in navigating local licensing and networking opportunities to foster strategic partnerships.”
Bailey explains that while traditional lenders may set their focus on collateral, WVCAP partners focus on long-term stability and mission-aligned growth, which ensured the aim of Three Rivers Clinic was upheld: promoting wellness and reducing chronic illness through research-based outcomes and cuttingedge health care while offering a reliable option for urgent care in the Hinton area. Although many financial advisors would view a project like this as high-risk, the Wyoming County EDA took a chance and believed in the clinic’ s vision from the beginning.
“ The strategic partnership between the WVCAP and the Wyoming County EDA enabled critical support for a vital health care clinic in Hinton, located within the MSPG Properties building,” Christy Laxton, executive director of the Wyoming County EDA, says.“ Partnerships like these continue to advance investments that strengthen the economy, communities and quality of life in southern West Virginia.”
christylaxton @ wyomingcounty. com | www. wyomingcounty. com( 304) 732-6707 | PO Box 1828, 506A River Road, Pineville, WV
tommy @ agdcollective. com |( 304) 542-4698 158 Hinton ByPass, Hinton, WV