Health clinic coming to Willard via $3M loan

A new health clinic is coming to Willard by way of a Citizens Memorial Hospital subsidiary and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The USDA late last month announced a $3 million low-interest loan for CMH Properties to buy land and build a roughly 8,000-square-foot clinic in the city neighboring Springfield, according to a news release.

“Ensuring rural residents have access to local, quality health care is a top priority for USDA," said Jeff Case, USDA rural development state director, in the release. "(The) investment to CMH Properties to build a state-of-the-art health care clinic in Willard not only continues our long-term partnership with CMH and expands rural Missourians’ health care options but is foundational to positively benefitting the region’s rural economy."

The release did not say where the clinic would be located, other than to indicate it would be constructed on a "highly visible site." Officials could not be reached immediately for comment by deadline.

The clinic is planned with features including offices for two full-time family practice physicians, exam rooms and an ophthalmology eye exam lane, according to the release.