By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Knoll Clinic, 1106 E. 27th, Hays, is getting ready for some major upgrades in preparation for a big move into a facility currently under construction on 22nd Street, just east of Vine.

While the clinic is relatively new, having started in June of 2009, Dr. Tonya Knoll is no stranger to medical care in Hays – having been a longtime physician at Hays Medical Center – and a lifelong resident.

“I love (Hays). I was born and raised here,” Knoll said. “Born and raised and never leaving.”

The move to the new facility is necessary, according to Knoll, as the clinic has expanded over the years.

“We’ve outgrown this clinic,” Knoll said. “We just need more room in general, so we decided to build a bigger facility.”

During the expansion, a variety of expanded services are being considered.

“We’d like to start setting up where we can do IV and fluids, so they don’t have to go to special nursing or the emergency room,” Knoll said. “We’re also talking to a company right now that does ultrasound and other types of tests.”

Those services could start this month, before the move to the larger facility, but the expansion will help accommodate new services and expanded staff.

The practice recently hired a nurse practitioner who has helped balance Knoll’s workload.

“We do a lot of procedures here. We do allergy testing, and I’m planing on increasing the amount of procedures that are able to be done on site so we don’t have to send people places to get them done,” she said.

“I also do urgent care,” she added, noting the clinic can take walk-in patients with minor emergencies, if necessary.

As far as the building, Knoll, along with her husband, who works as the office manager, are fully invested into the building and hope to make the move in November.

They are using a local contractor for the construction.

“Our builder is amazing, and he is working really hard to keep costs down,” Knoll said.

The construction could prompt other business moves, as well, as the current facility is being looked at by interested parties as Knolls prepare to exit the building, which they own, and the new facility will not be completely occupied by the clinic.

“Its also big enough that we plan on renting space to other physicians or other entities that would work in that building,” Knoll said.

When asked to sum up the clinic, Knoll offered a simple response: “We offer comprehensive health care to people of all ages.”

More information about the clinic can be found on its Facebook page or the clinic’s website.