Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) is a not-for-profit health centre that provides medical, dental and mental health care in rural New Mexico. Founded in 1995, this organization serves a huge area covering the counties of Grant and Hidalgo. Here is what you need to know about HMS:
- Federally Qualified Structure (FQHC) Recognized for Excellence
- Comprehensive medical services adapted to all ages
- Integrated mental health support and addictions
- Rates adjusted for your ability to pay
- More than a dozen sites in the region
Let's discover together how HMS revolutionizes access to health care in the Southwest of America.
Presentation by Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS)
Today we present an organization that makes a difference in the health landscape of New Mexico. HMS was born in 1995 in Hidalgo County with a clear vision: making care available in often forgotten rural areas.
Recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Centre, HMS has received prestigious accreditations including HRSA and Patient Centered Medical Home status since 2017. Its governance is an excellent example of its philosophy: the Board of Directors is composed mainly of patients, ensuring that the decisions taken meet the real needs of the community.
A mission rooted in New Mexico's rural communities
HMS covers an impressive territory: Grant and Hidalgo counties represent a larger area than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. This area, where thousands of people live far from the major urban centres, has historically suffered from a staggering lack of medical infrastructure.
Based in Silver City, a small town of 10,000 inhabitants perched at an altitude of 1,800 metres in the heart of Gila's national forest, HMS embodies the commitment to rural populations. The region is characterized by its cultural diversity with 48% of its inhabitants and 44% of its inhabitants, without a dominant ethnic majority. This cultural richness directly influences HMS' approach, which offers all its services in English and Spanish.
Medical care provided by HMS
HMS develops a comprehensive approach to health with services adapted to each stage of life. You will find family medicine, paediatrics, internal medicine and geriatrics.
Women's health is central with comprehensive obstetric and gynaecological consultations. Men also benefit from specific programmes for their particular needs.
For chronic diseases, HMS offers rigorous management of diabetes, hypertension, chronic pain and lung pathologies. This care is accompanied by family support, recognizing that health is not limited to purely medical aspects but also encompasses the social dimension.
Dental services accessible to all
Oral health is often the poor parent of care systems, especially in rural areas. HMS breaks with this logic by offering general dental care in several of its clinics. This accessibility represents a real victory for local populations who had previously had to travel hundreds of kilometres to consult a dentist.
Services include routine examinations, preventive care, routine treatment and emergency response. This comprehensive offer ensures that no one is left behind for geographical or financial reasons.
Mental health and addiction: integrated support
HMS has received recognition from Community Mental Health Clinic for its expertise in this sensitive area. We welcome this approach that integrates mental health with physical care rather than treating it as a separate entity.
The services offered include comprehensive assessments, individual and group psychotherapy, and the management of psychotropic drugs. HMS also offers crisis interventions and psychosocial rehabilitation programs to help patients regain their daily autonomy.
Treatment of addictions is a strong pillar of HMS action, notably through Tu Casa, its specialized centre. Programs include nursing, medically supervised detoxification, and appropriate therapeutic support.
Family and Community Support Programs
HMS is not just treating: the organisation accompanies families as a whole. The Mimbres Family Support Center illustrates this philosophy with a community-centred approach. Although small with a single examination room, this rural clinic accommodates nearly 2,000 patients per year.
School health services provide early intervention to youth, while seniors' programs, such as those at the Ena Mitchell Center, address aging issues. This intergenerational vision makes HMS strong.
Where to find HMS? Our establishments at a glance
HMS deploys more than a dozen clinical sites across the region to bring you closer to care:
| City/Place | Type of establishment | Specialities |
| Silver City (seat) | Main clinic | Comprehensive care |
| Lordsburg | Satellite clinic | General medicine |
| Animas Valley | Satellite clinic | Primary care |
| Bayard | Satellite clinic | Family medicine |
| You Casa | Specialized centre | Addictions |
| Mimbres | Family centre | Community support |
| Med Square | Clinic | Multiple services |
This territorial network ensures that no community is too far away from essential care.
Training and internships: becoming a professional of tomorrow
HMS is positioned as a real learning health center. The organization welcomes trainees and residents in medicine, dentistry, psychology and mental health, mainly in Silver City.
The partnership with the New Mexico Psychology Internship Consortium (NM-PIC) allows future psychologists to train in real-life conditions. The courses cover several areas: the HMS Mental Clinic, the Tu Casa Centre, the New Beginnings Program for Psychosocial Rehabilitation, and CareLink for Chronic Care Coordination.
A major advantage: psychologists can benefit from student loan repayment via the National Health Service Corps. HMS even offers studios to house interns, facilitating their immersion in the community.
Tu Casa: addiction treatment centre
You Casa represents HMS' commitment to fighting addictions. This specialized centre offers a holistic approach combining nursing care, medically supervised detoxification and individual or group therapies.
Integration with other HMS services allows for coordinated follow-up: patients are simultaneously supported for their physical, mental and social health. This overall approach significantly increases the chances of sustainable recovery.
Special services: teleconsultation, rehabilitation and coordination
HMS innovates with services adapted to geographical constraints. Teleconsultation allows isolated patients to access specialists without travelling long distances.
The CareLink program illustrates HMS's preventive approach by coordinating care for patients with chronic diseases. This proactive management avoids complications and improves quality of life.
Psychosocial rehabilitation through the New Beginnings programme helps people regain their communication skills, daily autonomy and social inclusion.
A team at the heart of Silver City's cultural diversity
The HMS team reflects the cultural richness of the region. English-Spanish bilingualism is systematic, ensuring that each patient feels understood and respected in their mother tongue.
This cultural sensitivity is reflected in all aspects of care: from reception to consultation, to follow-up and therapeutic education. HMS understands that health cannot be effectively treated without taking into account the cultural and social context of patients.
Why choose HMS? Awards, accreditations and recognition
HMS applies a fundamental principle: services are adjusted according to your ability to pay. No one is refused for financial reasons, a philosophy enshrined in FQHC status.
Accreditations speak for themselves: HRSA recognition, PCMH status since 2017, participation in the National Health Service Corps and the Nurse Corps. HMS operates in areas with a high shortage of health professionals with HPSA scores of 21 for primary care, 23 for dental care and 19 for mental health.
HMS in figures: impact, patients and local radiation
The Mimbres Family Support Center alone accommodates 2,000 patients a year with a single examination room. Multiply this number by the more than twelve sites, and you understand the extent of the impact of HMS on the region.
The organisation serves a territory exceeding the surface of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, proving that it is possible to provide quality care even in the most remote areas. Recognition as a Patient Centered Medical Home since 2017 has demonstrated excellence in practice.
How to make an appointment or apply at HMS?
Making an appointment at HMS is simple: call 575-800-1HMS, the unique number that centralizes all requests. An online patient portal also facilitates the management of your appointments and medical records.
The clinics are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. For professionals interested in an internship or position, HMS is constantly looking for rural physicians, dentists, nurses and psychologists.
Located in the heart of Gila National Forest, the region offers an exceptional quality of life with hiking, cycling, fishing, cultural festivals and a dynamic artistic scene. Joining HMS means choosing to make a difference while enjoying a unique living environment.
