By JULIUS A. KARASH
The Kansas City Star

Downtown health care is slated to get a boost come October.

That’s when Research Medical Center plans to open a new doctors’ office in the 10 Main Center building at 920 Main St.

The new practice will be called “Downtown Physicians: A Service of Research Medical Center.”

“Just like grocery stores and clothing shops, a doctor’s office lends a sense of community to a place,” Mayor Mark Funkhouser said in a release.

“I’m grateful to Research Medical Center for its plans to locate this practice downtown and the role that might play in helping to rebuild the fabric of the neighborhood.”

The practice will operate at least from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday initially. Plans are being made for early morning, late afternoon and Saturday hours, with more specifics to be announced later. Patients will be able to make same-day appointments or be seen without an appointment.

The practice will be staffed by physicians Girma Assefa and Melvin McFarlin.

Dr Girma Assefa earned his medical degree from Jimma University in Jimma, Ethiopia, and McFarlin received his medical degree from the Finch University of Health Sciences in Chicago. Both completed their residencies with the Research Family Medicine Residency program.

“Downtown Physicians will be a great benefit to the people who live and work there,” Kevin Hicks, president and chief executive of Research Medical Center, said in a statement.

Research Medical Center, located at 2316 E. Meyer Blvd., is part of HCA Midwest.

For more information
Call 816-737-1037 or go to www.downtownphysicians .ehcmd.com.

To reach Julius A. Karash, call 816-234-4918 or send e-mail to [email protected].