La Clinica’s Role in the Community – Virginia Wolf and Jeff Cool
Last week, Medford Rogue Rotary welcomed La Clinica’s Communications Officer Virginia Wolf, and Development Director Jeff Cool to our club to discuss the changing role of La Clinica in our community over time.
La Clinica was founded in March of 1989, and by the end of 2009 it operated 9 sites, with over 15,000 patients and 152 full time employees. Thirty-six years later, after a period of expansion and integration, and another period focused on resilience and scaling, La Clinica ended 2025 with 32 sites, serving over 32,500 patients, and 553 full-time employees.
Jeff and Virginia discussed the healthcare gaps in Jackson County today:
- Primary care shortages and long waits for appointments
- Few providers accepting new Medicaid and Medicare patients
- Recent closures of primary care clinics have exacerbated access challenges
- Behavioral health crisis: Rising mental health and substance use challenges
- Dental care gap: Limited access, high emergency department visits for dental issues
- Pharmacy closures: Growing “pharmacy deserts” limiting medication access
Projects for 2026 includes: a Mobile Health Center to better serve the houseless community and agricultural workers at work sites; a Teaching Health Center capital project to build a pipeline of providers to care for the Rogue Valley; and Behavioral Health Workforce Programs to train and retain master’s-level, licensed mental health professionals.
In addition to the many services provided to their patients, La Clinica also provides benefits to the local economy and community. La Clinica helps train future healthcare professionals, creates living wage healthcare jobs (average salary of $60K per year) and its continued investment in healthcare infrastructure strengthens regional stability.