SALISBURY, Md. - A vision more than 130 years in the making became reality Thursday as TidalHealth cut the ribbon on the Edward Q. Wilgus Community Clinic in Salisbury.
The new primary care facility, located at 805 E. Church St., will offer a range of medical services to a historically underserved neighborhood. Local leaders, healthcare workers, donors, and neighbors gathered to celebrate the grand opening, which officials say marks the beginning of a new era for rural healthcare access on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The clinic was funded in part by a $1 million grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and a major gift from the Wilgus family to the TidalHealth Foundation. It is expected to serve 12,000 to 15,000 patient visits annually.
Gov. Wes Moore called the project a historic investment.
“I’m just really excited that this is a community that, for so long, has been neglected and not seen,” Moore said. “And now we’re seeing an entire state saying we’re here and we’re investing, and we believe in rural health care.”
Dr. Steven Leonard, president and CEO of TidalHealth, said the facility is designed to meet patients where they are.
“This clinic, the Wilgus Clinic, is here to meet people where they are, offering full primary care, behavioral health, telehealth services, diabetes education, nutritional counseling, and more,” Leonard said. “It is also the home base for our internal medicine residency physicians, who we hope will train here and stay here to serve our community.”
The clinic sits on a 1.8-acre parcel with deep historical roots. In the late 1800s, British physician Dr. Robert Naylor purchased the land with the dream of building a hospital. Naylor died before his vision could be realized, and over the years the property served as a private home, the Hotel Esther, and the first site of the John B. Parsons Home for the Aged.
TidalHealth leaders say the opening fulfills Naylor’s original dream while addressing modern healthcare challenges. The facility is part of the health system’s $5 million SPARK campaign, which supports graduate medical education and aims to attract and retain physicians in the region.
Officials say they hope the clinic will not only provide care but also serve as a catalyst for community development and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits.
The Edward Q. Wilgus Community Clinic is now accepting patients.