Hundreds of Hanford public sector employees now have access to a free and fast healthcare resource that is exclusive to themselves, their spouses and dependents. Hanford Employee Care Connection will offer a wide variety of services to insured City of Hanford and Hanford Joint Union High School District employees, including acute, episodic and ongoing care, prevention, procedures, and even wellness coaching and diabetes management.
The clinic is located inside the City-owned Amtrak building and is open five days a week (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday). It also has an on-site pharmacy and can perform lab draws. There are no copays.
On Tuesday, City and school district officials celebrated the clinic’s grand opening with representatives from Elite Corporate Medical Services, the clinic operator. Elite specializes in on-site and near-site medical clinics that help their clients provide convenient, compassionate care while reducing healthcare costs and improving employee productivity.
“Thank you to our partners at the City and school district for your trust, your vision, and your collaboration,” Elite Corporate Medical Services CEO Nick Gambini said. “Your leadership in prioritizing accessible, high-quality healthcare for your employees is inspiring, and we’re excited to walk this journey with you.”
Discussions about a shared employee health clinic between the City of Hanford and Hanford Joint Union High School District began in early 2024 and involved the employee health committees from both organizations. In January of 2025, Hanford City Council approved a three-year cooperative agreement to share clinic expenses with the high school district.
“We already have a great working relationship and partner with the City on many efforts to educate our youth and keep them safe,” said Hanford Joint Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Victor Rosa. “So this a great natural progression toward keeping our combined staff members healthy and happy.”
Dr. Rosa added that the clinic is another example of the district’s expanding presence in downtown Hanford. The new district office is located in the old Hanford Sentinel building down the street.
Hanford Employee Care Connection occupies a beautifully remodeled space inside the Amtrak building. The neighboring suite is currently home to the Hanford office of Valley Community Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which provides free consulting to Hanford small businesses and entrepreneurs.
“Up until very recently this side of the building was just collecting dust,” Hanford City Manager Mario Cifuentez said. “But between what we hope is a bustling health clinic and a lot of great work already happening at the SBDC, I am looking forward to the reactivation of this space. It’s a win for downtown Hanford and the City as a whole.”
During Tuesday’s event, Cifuentez also called the clinic a smart financial move for the City, referencing a recent article titled, The Hidden Value: Employer-sponsored Health Clinics Revolutionizing Primary Care.
“Employer-sponsored health clinics are not only beneficial for employees but also yield substantial cost savings for employers,” officials for the City of Richmond, Virginia wrote for ICMA’s Public Management (PM) Magazine. “By providing primary care services on-site or locally, employers can reduce healthcare expenditures associated with emergency room visits, specialist referrals, and absenteeism due to illness. Proactive management of chronic conditions and preventive care initiatives can lead to long-term cost containment by averting costly medical interventions down the line.”