STPH holds grand opening for Family Medical Clinic

Family Medical Clinic opened its doors for a ribbon cutting and grand opening last Thursday, October 29 at its new location in Folsom. Officially known as STPN-Folsom, attendees received an up-close look at the new 6,500 square foot state-of-the-art facility built by St. Tammany Parish Hospital just 17 miles south of Franklinton.

An overflow crowd of people showed up for the grand opening of STPN-Folsom (St. Tammany Physicians Network-Folsom). With many Franklinton residents in attendance, the automatic doors had to be left open at one point to provide enough room for everyone. In addition to receiving a tour of the new facility, visitors were treated to boiled shrimp, pasta, an assortment of fruit, cake and punch.

"The response to the open house from the friends of Family Medical Clinic and the folks of Folsom and Western St. Tammany Parish was not only overwhelming but humbling," said Dr. Gerald Foret, founder of Family Medical Clinic in Franklinton.

STPN-Folsom, or Family Medical Clinic, is the only primary care provider in Folsom. Dr. Libeau Berthelot, Dr. Mark James and Dr. Christopher Foret bring over 75 years of experience with them as board-certified physicians. Their affiliation with STPH provides access to all resources the hospital system has to offer. The new clinic in Folsom has the same staff that was employed on their last day in Franklinton with the exception of one employee who accepted a position with STPH.

“I am so proud that St. Tammany Parish Hospital is bringing a primary care office to Folsom,” said James Core, Vice-Chairman, STPH Board of Commissioners, and resident of Folsom. “The care and experience these physicians bring will be an excellent addition to our community.”

Family Medical Clinic had been located on Riverside Drive in Franklinton since 1968 when Dr. Gerald Foret opened the practice. After nearly 50 years of service, the clinic closed its doors on October 15, 2015 when the Board of Directors of Riverside Medical Center and St. Tammany Parish Hospital failed to reach an agreement that would have kept the practice in Franklinton. STPH had served as the employer at Family Medical Clinic since 2003.

Folsom Mayor Bettye Boggs was on hand to welcome the new clinic to the Village.

"The Village of Folsom is very pleased to welcome Family Medical Clinic to our area," said Boggs.  "We are very glad to have the clinic here to provide for the health needs of our community as well as for the outlying areas around the Village of Folsom."

The doctors of Family Medical Clinic are extremely appreciative of the support received from STPH while also looking forward to continuing to provide first-class health care and friendships for current and future patients.

"I am excited about adding a new group of patients from the Folsom area," said Dr. James. "But we won't forget about our old patients in Washington, Tangipahoa Parish, and Walthall County. The staff and physicians look forward to serving you at our new location."

"We have been honored to have treated our neighbors and been part of the (Franklinton) community for over 47 years," said Dr. Chris Foret. "I have been privileged to work with great people like Mark James,  Libeau Berthelot and my father, Gerald Foret. The time has come for us to begin a new chapter in our lives and we appreciate the support of the St Tammany Parish Hospital Board and administration through a very difficult situation."

With 35 years of service at Family Medical Clinic, the longest tenured doctor expressed a heartfelt thank you to his patients.

"My family and I arrived here in June of 1980," said Dr. Berthelot. "We consider Franklinton and Washington Parish our home. My wife and I raised three beautiful and successful children here. We have been an integral part of the community for 35 years. However, because of a desire to remain employed by my current employer, I have been forced to relocate my practice of medicine to our new location in Folsom."

"For those of you who follow us to our new location, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. For those who cannot, I want to thank you for your previous support and I hope and pray that you can find adequate healthcare elsewhere. I will always consider you as friends."

According to STPH Director of Communication Melissa Hodgson, the STPN-Folsom office was designed after the Network's Madisonville office.

"The design of our Madisonville office has been a patient and staff satisfier, so the Folsom office is based on that model," said Hodgson.

The new clinic features offices for the doctors with each having three examination rooms. A modern nurses station with individual computer terminals provides a spacious area for the doctors' assistants to work. New x-ray equipment and additional equipment for various tests provides patients with the ability to have most tests performed and read in-house.

Construction on the new STPN-Folsom began in April 2015 and the clinic began seeing patients on October 19. Due to the sudden need to build a new facility and have it ready to receive patients by their expiration date in Washington Parish, STPH went with a long-term lease which enabled construction to begin almost immediately after the board realized remaining in Franklinton wasn't an option.

"We are excited to open STPN-Folsom at 82525 Highway 25, the new home for our long-time Family Medical Clinic doctors," said Hodgson. "We announced the move after it became clear the Washington Parish Council would not be able to renew the agreement that enabled STPH to practice in their service district.

"We are committed to Family Medical Clinic, its staff and the patients it serves, so we immediately began to look for ways to continue to serve the need from inside the confines of our service district after the October 27 expiration. The Village of Folsom turned out to be the perfect location for a new office, and we were thrilled everyone involved was able to move so quickly to ensure there was no interruption in medical service for our patients in this area."

A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Thursday, October 29 for the new Family Medical Clinic in Folsom, LA. Included in the ribbon cutting ceremony were numerous STPH board members and personnel, FMC Doctors Libeau Berthelot, Mark James and Christopher Foret, Dr. Gerald and Mrs. Gayle Foret, X-Ray technician Katie Bulloch and Folsom Mayor Bettye Boggs.