Wood River Health highlights growth, warns of federal funding pressure and asks town for continued support

Lisonbee Croak (president and CEO, Wood River Health) presented the center's 2023 annual report and shared updated 2024 figures, saying the federally qualified health center has expanded patient volume and is now one of the primary care providers in the area.

"We have become the largest, if not in some cases, the only primary care provider in our part of the state," Croak said, summarizing recent changes in local primary care availability.

Croak gave specific service statistics: the center had about 6,700 patients in 2018 and finished 2024 with roughly 10,426 unique patients; last year it provided approximately 30,000 primary care visits, 7,000 dental visits and 5,000 behavioral‑health visits. Croak said the largest share of patients come from Westerly and Hopkinton, with others from Charlestown and Richmond.

Croak told the council the center ended fiscal 2024 with a deficit for the first time in nearly a decade and attributed the shortfall to rising costs of care and reimbursement pressures. She warned that proposed federal changes to Medicare and Medicaid could further reduce reimbursements for safety‑net providers and called any municipal support "very much appreciated." She invited councilors to tour the Hopkinton (Hope Valley) health center and noted the center's board is comprised of patient‑consumers as required by federal rules for community health centers.

Councilors thanked Croak and acknowledged the health center's quality awards noted in the report. No specific dollar request from the town was recorded in the workshop; Croak reiterated an ask for increased municipal support in light of operating pressures and invited follow‑up questions and site visits.