Ninth District U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith recently toured Connect + Health and Wellness to discuss rural healthcare and the future of telemedicine with CEO Marcus Stone. During his visit, Griffith explored the facility and learned about the services it offers to rural communities.
Connect + Health and Wellness operates a chain of healthcare centers that provide primary care, dental services, and mental health care. The facility also features an on-site lab to support patient care. Griffith was particularly impressed by the availability of affordable dental care, noting, “That’s exceptional,” after learning that some of the clinic’s dentists volunteer their time.
He added the challenge across southwest Virginia isn’t finding grants to pay for dentists, “it’s finding the dentists.”
Stone explained that the clinic frequently works with patients dealing with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. He highlighted the clinic’s adherence to strict health guidelines and the reporting of quality metrics to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which provides grants to help sustain the clinic.
Telemedicine was a key topic of discussion. Griffith, a strong advocate of telehealth, believes the service can help reduce healthcare costs in the long term. He acknowledged concerns that telehealth could increase the number of appointments, but emphasized its potential to save money by eliminating transportation costs for Medicaid patients. “It saves the Medicaid ride,” Griffith said, noting that telemedicine can streamline simple check-ins, such as monitoring healing wounds.
Stone agreed that telehealth expands patient access to a broader range of professionals but pointed out that internet access remains a challenge for some rural areas. “Our patients can be seen at home, but the internet is another challenge,” he said.
Griffith has long been involved in advancing rural healthcare, supporting the expansion of telemedicine, touring healthcare facilities like SOVAH Hospital in Martinsville, and advocating for reopening closed hospitals.
Stone reiterated the clinic’s mission to reduce barriers to healthcare and provide accessible services to everyone. Connect + Health and Wellness sees approximately 10,000 visits annually and continually seeks ways to better serve its patients. Originally funded by a grant from the Harvest Foundation in 2005, the clinic primarily serves uninsured and underserved populations. The name was changed in 2023 to reflect its mission more clearly.
In addition to its locations in Bassett, Ridgeway, and Patrick Springs, Connect + Health and Wellness also operates a mobile health clinic offering services like vaccinations and dental exams.
