POMEROY — Development of a site plan and architectural studies are underway at the future site of Family Health Care’s new Meigs County clinic, just outside of Pomeroy.

Mark Bridenbaugh, chief executive officer of Family Health Care, Inc., said the non-profit family medical practice has been working with its architect and the Meigs County Community Improvement Corporation to determine where on the site the clinic will be built, and how that facility can share the site with a free-standing emergency room or inpatient hospital facility that county commissioners hope to someday build there.

In June, Family Health Care received a $1,019,000 capital improvement grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help build a new 10,000 square-foot family practice facility on a site owned by the CIC at the junction of U.S. 33 and Ohio 7 near Meigs High School. The company plans to secure the remainder of the funds for the $2.3 million project, including funds for land acquisition, through the U.S. Department Agriculture/Rural Development.

Bridenbach said Tuesday the USDA has very specific processes in place in order to qualify for the funds, including topographical studies and core drilling. Because the new facility will be nearly identical to one opened in 2006 in McArthur, much of the architectural and design work is already completed.

Bridenbach said some site preparation may be completed before cold weather arrives this year, but said, realistically, construction will not likely begin until early 2010. The agency has until the end of June, 2011, to complete the project under ARRA regulations.

The new clinic facility will replace office space in Middleport, which is now considered inadequate to handle the patient load in Meigs County. A second physician, Katie Able, joined the staff there on Aug. 17, and is now accepting new patients. Another physician and a nurse practitioner are also on staff, which totals 14 including administrative and laboratory personnel.

Family Health Care, Inc. provides family practice medical services to all residents in Meigs County, regardless of income or insurance coverage. As a Federally-Qualified Health Center, it receives a higher rate of reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid patient, but sees all patients on a sliding-fee scale.