LABELLE — At the regular meeting of the Hendry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Lee Health Chief of Staff Michael Nacheff gave a presentation on how Lee Health plans to improve access to care across Hendry County.

This year the southwest region of Florida received $6.4 Million dollars thanks to the Rural Health Transformation Program, a federal initiative enacted under HR1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill) that was signed last year.

Nacheff explained what that funding could mean for Hendry County in his presentation. “We have a clinic here in LaBelle on State Road 29,” he said. “And we were able to work with the agency for Healthcare Administration to submit a grant application along with Hendry County, and our friends in Glades County, to come up with something that we think will expand care and access in this area and bring it closer to home.”

Lee Health has an existing facility on State Road 29 that includes family medicine and OB/GYN for one day a week. Necheff explained that the clinic’s expansion would include a walk-in and convenient care lab (urgent care).

Some things planned for the LaBelle Facility include digital x-ray, EKG, HVAC upgrade, new furniture and signage, vending pharmacy infrastructure, and more.

They have also applied for two OnMed CareStations to be put in, one in Clewiston and one in Moore Haven. These stations are for those that may not have access to an urgent care that allows you to have a virtual visit with a physician.

Nacheff said that they applied for $2.4 Million dollars and were awarded $1.95 Million but he believes it is still an extraordinary amount that they will be able to do a lot of good with.

As of right now, Nacheff says they expect the expansion of the clinic to be complete in the first quarter of 2028.