MARHC Member Spotlight: Laura Wells

Laura Wells is the Director of Clinic Operations for Healthway Primary Care, Austin Plaza Primary Care, Potosi Rural Health Clinic, and WCMH Urgent Care in Potosi, Missouri. These clinics, which are operated by Washington County Memorial Hospital, serve about 59,000 patients each year and are a critical source of care in the community. Laura is especially proud that her clinics offer a wide array of services to care for patients more comprehensively.

Laura works with clinics to ensure that RHC guidelines and other administrative requirements are met. While she enjoys all aspects of her job, Laura’s favorite parts are the people she works with and the opportunities she has to bridge the gap between patients and staff.

In her role, Laura has found that it is important for clinics to educate staff on how RHCs operate from a business perspective. Providing quality healthcare is critical, but it is not the only part of a clinic’s long-term sustainability.

Laura started working in rural health in 2006 and was interested in working in a rural health clinic ever since she graduated from nursing school. Her passion for rural health also led her to join MARHC’s Board. Laura has found that participation in MARHC has helped her clinics build connections to diverse healthcare professionals, which she says contributes to their success.