JPS Health Network will dedicate its newest health center, the Gertrude Tarpley JPS Health Center at Watauga, on Thursday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m. An open house and reception will follow the dedication until 7 p.m. The event is open to the public.

The new facility, located at 6601 Watauga Road in Fort Worth, has three staff physicians specializing in family medicine and internal medicine, including medical director for the facility, Rajbir Sandhu, M.D., as well as a nurse practitioner. Debbie Craig will serve as health center director and will oversee a staff of approximately 30-35 employees, a majority of which live in Northeast Tarrant County, where the facility is located.

With 19 exam rooms and two special procedure rooms, this newest addition to JPS expects to see more than 16,000 patient visits in the first year of operation. Tarrant County Public Health will open a new location adjacent to the facility and tours will be available during the open house.  

Gertrude Tarpley, for whom the facility is named after, founded the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and led the group for 23 years. Often referred to as the "Queen Mother of Northeast Tarrant County," Tarpley died in 1994 at 90 years old. Her daughter, Linda Kay Peterson, is scheduled to speak at the dedication.   

The Gertrude Tarpley JPS Health Center at Watauga expects to start seeing patients by the middle of July and will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center accepts Medicare, Medicaid, JPS Connection and most insurance.