At this facility, those who can't get care, get care.
The building sits on E. Reynolds Street, a couple of blocks west of where Reynolds becomes a two-way when it merges back into Baker. Those driving by might notice the two-story building with blue window canopies, but they are thinking about getting as quickly as they can into the long line that turns left onto N. Park Road. So, they drive on without investigating. This building is a medical facility, but it is a special one.
Suncoast Community Health Centers (SCHC) have served Hillsborough County since 1977, and continued to expand into the eastern part of the county. SCHC has been in Plant City for 27 years, but the facility on Reynolds Street opened in 2019.
The SCHC motto is “The Best Health Care Under the Sun.” Its’ mission in Plant City is improving the health of the community by making quality healthcare available to everyone who needs it—even when a person doesn’t have insurance or enough money to afford healthcare. The values of SCHC are integrity, mission before self, and working from a sense of empathy and compassion.
“A lot of people don’t know what we do. We serve the underserved in this community,” Shari Sun, Director of Clinic Operations said. “We help with a lot of Medicaid—even people who have no insurance, and can’t afford it. We have a sliding fee scale.” In addition to brick-and-morter facilities, the organization sends mobile dental and medical units throughout Hillsborough County to help people.
SCHC in Plant City is a one-stop-shop, state-of-the-art, facility that provides services including adult and pediatric medical care, dental care, pediatric dental care, x-rays, lab services, a pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic, and mental health services. Five primary medical providers work at the location, along with three pediatricians, one obstetrician, one podiatrist, an optometrist, two dentists, one pediatric dentist, a social worker, and support staff. These health professionals work for less pay than they could make otherwise. On an average day, more than 100 patients come through the doors.
“We are here so the people who can’t get care, can get care, so that disease and other things don’t spread to the whole community,” Sun said. “That is part of our goal—the whole community, not just the people who come in to the health center.”
SCHC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, federally-qualified, community health center that is credentialed by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care—which holds healthcare entities to strict standards for quality patient care. SCHC provides care to anyone who wants to use its services. Patients can make appointments or walk-in.
SCHC in Plant City accepts Medicaid, HMOs, HCHCP, Medicare, and most insurance plans. Discounts will be given to those who qualify based on family size and household income.
In going above and beyond, SCHC offers healthcare to any veteran who has been waiting more than 30 days for an appointment at a Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospital, or who has to travel more than 40 miles to get to a VA.
The facility is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to noon. Patients need to pay at the time of service. The sliding fees are figured based on Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines. SCHC does not turn people away when they can’t pay.
In addition to a bright, clean lobby, waiting rooms, and offices, the medical team members work to provide exceptional care and service to each patient. “When they come in here, they don’t feel like they have nothing,” Sun said. “But they feel like they have a nice place to come to. It helps them mentally, it helps them emotionally, so that is what it is all about.”
