Notebook Recollections

We last looked at the United Family Medicine Clinic history in the Feb ‘26 Community Reporter.

A cherished CR reader stopped me in Day by Day last week. She asked me why it was taking 100 years to finish the 50 year history of UFP/HH?

Fair enough.

I said it’s been hard to read the daily news these days with your eyes closed. “All the bad news,” I offered.

“Sure,” she said. “But you have good news, I should think.”

Cool.

“You’re right,” I said.

So I launched into an eloquent, efficient snapshot.

1972 – Helping Hands starts next to Mancini’s in a former Hub Cap shop as a “Free Clinic.”

1974 – HH moves across West 7th into the former Little Bohemian Bakery, where I begin my medical career after completing my internship.

HH was part of the nationwide Free Clinic movement already in motion.

1978 – HH moves once again, this time to the western end of Mancini’s Steak House. Literally, into a night club! HH back door opens into Mancini’s Fireside Room.

1980 – HH moves into the basement of the Ad Agency Building, across the alley from Mancini’s .

1984 – In the years that followed Doctors Ravi, Kally Macken, Brad Toso, Louise Mattsen, Katie Guthrie and Mike Mercer joined the practice.

Also, during this time period we partnered with United Hospital and formed a brand new Family Practice Residency program.

Many busy and productive years followed.

2004 – UFP Health Center becomes an independent community based clinic doing business as United Family Medicine.

2009 – UFM moves to their new location at the corner of West 7th St and Randolph Ave. This state-of-the-art, brand new building was made possible by a $14 million capital campaign, funding by Peter J. King Foundation, McGough Construction, Allina Health and countless donations from the community. Public art funding to create outdoor sculptures was led by artist John Yust.

2012 – UFM was awarded federally qualified health care accreditation.

By 2019 UFM was serving 15,000 patients per year!

2019 – December, our new CEO plans to rename the Clinic in 2020.

2020 – The world is challenged by the arrival of COVID.

Among many changes implemented by the CEO, the Clinic Physicians are denied access to telemedicine visits with their patients during COVID.

In August, the CEO sent a letter of intent to separate from Allina Health (this includes the Physicians and Residency program) within 6 months.

In September, Allina and UFM agreed to mutual separation of the Residency program from the UFM clinic.

Subsequently, 99% of the physicians and the residency program moved to the Allina Grand Ave. location next to United Hospital.

The former UFM clinic located at Randolph and West 7th was renamed “Riverland Health.”

Still listening, the cherished CR reader said “You guys are all about it. I’m glad I stayed connected, impressed actually.” Then she asked, “ When could I get an appointment with you? “

“I’m retired,” was my reply.

My thanks to contributors to this article: John Yust, Andrea Marboe, Dave Thune , Connie Walsh, and Drs Ravi Balasubrahmanyan, Dave Thorson, Kally Macken, Katie Guthrie, Sue Inoue, Mike Mercer, Joel Giffen and Micah Johnson .