Providing Compassionate Care Since 1976

Wood River Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has provided health care services to residents of Washington County, Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut since 1976. We are a full-service medical, dental, and behavioral health care facility offering patient-centered care. Situated in rural Hope Valley and Westerly, RI, our patient population includes residents of small mill villages and farms and extends to members of the Narragansett Indian tribes. Our service area includes Charlestown, Richmond, Hope Valley, Hopkinton, Westerly, Exeter and West Greenwich in RI and Pawcatuck and North Stonington, CT.

Wood River Health’s mission is to provide the members of our community with high-quality and affordable health care services through a compassionate, team-based approach. Our vision is for every member of the Wood River Health community to experience physical, emotional and social well-being.

Most of our patients reside in small villages and towns and are older in age. Many of our patients have some of the lowest incomes outside of urban areas; their health care needs are compounded by food insecurity, housing challenges and lack of transportation. We serve a substantial Native American population including the Narragansett tribe, and our facilities are within driving distance to the Mashantucket Pequot tribe.

Our departments work in tandem to remove obstacles to our patients’ health while ensuring the members of our community have equal opportunity to lead their healthiest lives. We work to identify and address disparities in the quality of our health care delivery systems by implementing effective strategies to eliminate health inequities. We achieve this by continually improving our data systems, increasing regulatory vigilance, providing ongoing training to staff, and recruiting providers and board members from diverse backgrounds. 

Due in part to these initiatives, Wood River Health was awarded the 2024 Health Center Quality Leader (HCQL) Gold badge. Only 145 health centers in the United States received this recognition. This accomplishment was achieved because our departments work as a team to deliver the highest quality of care to our patients.

Wood River Health is recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Our community health center has been recognized as a model for excellence in health care delivery and a leader in the promotion of community well-being. With a patient base of over 9,000, our dedicated staff provide full-service medical, dental, and behavioral health care offering patient-centered primary care to individuals of all ages, from pediatric to geriatric. 

We are a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a community-based health care provider that receives funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. FQHCs have been a tried-and-true tax savings solution for more than 50 years. Collectively, we save the United States’ health care system $24 billion a year by reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations. 

FQHCs’ quality of care exceeds other primary care settings in areas such as immunization rates, management of chronic conditions like diabetes, and ensuring healthy pregnancies and care of moms. Because federal health centers are located directly within the communities we serve; we are economic engines responsible for $54.6 billion of economic activity annually. The return on investment that health centers generate is far greater than the funding we receive. areas. As an FQHC, Wood River Health must adhere to a stringent set of requirements including providing care on a sliding fee scale based on the ability to pay and operating under a governing board that includes at least 51% patient-members. 

One of the most economically diverse and challenged regions in Rhode Island, Washington County residents are experiencing a steady, increased demand for the high-quality health care services we provide. In 2023, Wood River Health reported our highest number of encounters in our history, demonstrating our community’s growing need for the services we provide: 9,186 unique patients, 23,543 primary care visits, 6,335 dental visits, and 5,074 behavioral health visits. 

To meet this need, we must expand our capacity, programs and staffing to help the members of our community achieve and maintain healthy lives. We rely on the support of grants, generous donors and foundations to help us achieve our vision: for every Rhode Islander to experience physical, emotional and social well-being.

Wood River Health is a nonprofit organization and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 05-0378071.  View Our Credentials to learn about the awards we have achieved and how we are improving the quality of life in our community.