Open Door started as a single clinic in 1971. At that time there wasn’t enough access to quality health care in Humboldt and the surrounding counties. The founders of Open Door Community Health Centers shared the vision of providing excellent health care and education to all members of the community.
Now, Open Door has 12 clinics spread throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties, serving more than 59,000 patients a year and employing over 700 members of the community.
Our mission to provide quality health care with access for all has endured over the past 45 years. We have continuously evolved to meet the needs of our community, provide the most advanced level of care possible, and remain challenging and rewarding for our practitioners and staff.
Open Door pioneered the use of telemedicine and were early adopters of electronic health records when we implemented EPIC across our system in 2008. We achieved Patient Centered Medical Home status and consistently meet Meaningful Use standards.
Our centers are designed to encourage team-based care and we have integrated nursing services, behavioral health, and case management into each team. We believe in empowering and engaging patients and encouraging preventive and self-management activities as core elements of the health care process.
As part of our goal to remove barriers to healthcare, we have built gardens, playgrounds, walking paths and teaching kitchens to create opportunities for more informal interactions allowing patients to experience the benefits of preventive activities regardless of social, transportation or financial barriers.
We seek to provide a well-balanced environment in which our providers can do what they do best as health care professionals. We encourage our practitioners to develop new skills, bring new perspectives and base their practices on their personal interests and skillsets. We recognize there are many approaches one can take to reach the same outcomes.
The beating heart of the North Coast, Arcata is a lively university town tucked between stunning Pacific beaches and majestic redwood groves. In Arcata, outdoor enthusiasts can mountain bike through the forest or surf big waves, while foodies and art lovers go oyster tasting or shop for handmade crafts on the Plaza. This is a community that prides itself on its small-town hospitality, quirky charm, and eclectic taste.
Defying the traditional definition of rural, our region is one of the most beautiful places imaginable and has something for everyone but the most hardcore urbanite.
Nestled amid the towering Redwoods of California’s north coast, you’ll discover countless opportunities for rest, relaxation, and recreation surrounded by breathtaking beauty and awe-inspiring natural resources.
Outdoor enthusiasts will find an outlet for their passion with opportunities to hike, bike, camp, surf, kayak, rock climb, fish, hunt, ski, ride your horse or four-wheeler, golf, and sail virtually in your backyard. Live where the farm-to-table movement took root - our local agriculture offers a bounty of options, inspired restaurateurs, and a farmers’ markets in each community. Plus, we have award-winning wineries and microbreweries with classes that teach you how to make your own.
We are also home to Dell’Arte, the only accredited school of physical comedy in the nation, as well as a trio of repertory theaters, a symphony orchestra, a great light opera company, music venues at every turn and world-renown artists stopping by on a regular basis.