Juno Medical Clinic is officially open to the public.
The Black-owned, 3,800-square-foot office is home to a
medical center seeking to expand healthcare to underserved populations nationwide. The celebration of the clinic’s opening marked 102 years since the Tulsa Race Massacre and more than 50 years since the urban renewal project in the city.According to The Black Wall Street Times, Dr. Jabaan Pasha has been elected to serve as the leader of the branch in Tulsa. He was appointed the medical director for the Tulsa clinic and vice president of Health Equity for the company. In an interview with the outlet, the Tulsa native spoke about his concerns for expanding access to healthcare, increasing life expectancy, and progressing health equity.
Pasha, who completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, has traveled across the U.S. to teach about health disparities disproportionately affecting Black Americans and ways to resolve health inequities. “We just try to bring convenience to healthcare, which doesn’t exist. And our most important value is excellence. So, if you bring convenience and excellence to healthcare, you’ve got a winning recipe, and we think we do,” Pasha said. Black Americans are more often diagnosed with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. In North Tulsa, Black residents have a 10-year life expectancy gap compared to white residents, according to the outlet.
In 2013, Pasha returned to Tulsa, continuing his career at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine. He taught students at St. John’s Hospital and treated patients.
“During that time there, I really got involved in health equity. And I really started to have a better understanding of why certain communities were less healthy than others,” Pasha said.
Pasha says convenience and excellence are the standard for Juno Medical Clinic and describes the clinic as a place for the modern, working family. Juno is an all-inclusive clinic that provides care for people regardless of ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Their services include primary care and treatment for women and pediatric patients. Same-day urgent care treatment is also offered.
The startup has locations in Harlem, Brooklyn, Atlanta, and Tulsa.