In an honorary luncheon tailored to the needs of the moment – masks and social distancing, carry-out entrees, and a quick return to work – Yavapai College thanked Dr. Hojat Askari and his staff at Thumb Butte Medical Center on Tuesday for their tireless work providing testing and treatment for the Prescott community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This offering is just a small gesture of the college’s appreciation and gratitude for all of you and the work you do every day.” Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa Rhine said. “Today, we recognize Dr. Askari and all of the medical professionals here, for your care, your compassion, and your courage. The world needs more of that right now.”
Known as “Doctor A” to many of his patients, Dr. Askari established the Willow Creek Road medical facility in 2009, fulfilling his father’s dream to serve people in need. That need – and Thumb Butte Medical Center’s importance – amplified dramatically this spring, when TBMC agreed to provide COVID-19 testing for the community.
“As a whole facility, we used to see about 300 people a day.” TBMC Office Manager Amy Sarka said. “After the pandemic hit, it was 600 hundred a day plus the COVID-19 testing drive-through, which is about 200 a day more.” Between early March and last week (when they switched to a Monday – Saturday schedule) TBMC had been providing drive-up nasal swab testing from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. The response was overwhelming.
“It doesn’t stop.” Sarka said. “Mondays are unbelievable. We get here at 6:20 a.m. and there are already cars waiting. There’s usually a double-line of all the way out onto Willow Creek Road.” Thumb Butte Medical Center is one of the few Yavapai County sites where residents can get a COVID-19 nasal swab test without an appointment. TBMC also treats those testing positive for COVID-19, keeping them separate from their ongoing clientele of family medicine patients. Though they have nearly doubled their staff, they still struggle to keep pace with the demand.
“We are staffed with wonderful, hard workers,” Sarka said. “They do the best they can to treat every patient with the respect they need, one car at a time.” Fatigue and fears of staff burnout recently forced TBMC to close on Sundays, and budgetary constraints now compel them to require insurance or a $100 fee. But the TBMC staff still works to serve, rain or shine. “On Saturday, when the storm blew our table over, we had no choice but to close down the line. I looked like I had jumped into a swimming pool.”
Despite the rigors and the sacrifices, the staff at TBMC recognize the service they provide the community – a spirit Sarka attributes to Dr. A. “Dr. Askari is extremely community-oriented. I think he is one of the best doctors there is. He’s caring, loving and concerned about the people he treats.”
PLEASE NOTE: Thumb Butte Medical Center is seeking the assistance of volunteers with administrative/secretarial experience to handle scanning and inputting new patient paperwork. They also seek additional volunteers with medical experience to assist with COVID tests. TBMC will provide the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. For details, please contact: (928) 499.8890.
Thumb Butte Medical Center, located at 3124 Willow Creek Road, provides nasal swab testing, 7 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For further information, visit their website at: www.thumbbuttemedicalcenter.com.
