In the vast expanse of West Texas, where the nearest hospital can be hours away, Ashley Grover arrives at work each morning with a singular purpose: to bring healthcare closer to her community.
Ashley is a nurse at Bravo Health Terlingua, a microclinic operated by Hamilton Health Box that opened its doors in Terlingua, Texas in the spring of 2025. For many residents of this remote community near Big Bend National Park, the clinic represents something they haven’t had in many years—reliable access to primary care.
Many Terlingua residents have gone more than ten years without seeing a doctor, not by choice, but by circumstance. In a place where accessing the nearest comprehensive medicine can require a full day’s travel, few have the time or resources needed to access the routine care they need.
Bridging distance with innovation and care
With support from J&J Impact Ventures, an investment fund within the J&J Foundation, Hamilton Health Box’s innovative, high-touch model is designed for communities like Terlingua. The small, prefabricated clinic combines in-person medicine with telehealth technology. Ashley functions as the local medical ambassador, conducting in-person care while connected to a remote physician who can diagnose, prescribe medications and coordinate specialist referrals, via a video screen.
The clinic’s hybrid model helps to deliver quality care in the county. Ashley, who is intimately familiar with her community and its needs, can administer vaccines, conduct lab work, take vital signs and provide the hands-on support that makes care possible. Meanwhile, a team of remote providers interprets results, manages chronic conditions and ensures continuity of care.
For Ashley, the work goes beyond treating illness—it’s about building trust and removing barriers that have kept people from seeking care. “Being able to work here, with this new clinic, where there hasn’t been healthcare for so many years, now I feel that I can finally help all the people that I haven’t had the tools to help before.”
The microclinic represents a fundamental shift for residents who once faced the choice between forgoing medical care or dedicating an entire day to see a doctor. Families now have access to urgent care, chronic disease management, mental health services and preventive care—all within their community.
This work is supported by J&J CareCommunity, Johnson & Johnson’s social impact platform that is championing nurses and community health workers to help accelerate access to quality care. Through our efforts, we have reached 2.3 million health workers over the past three years.
Nurses like Ashley bring the promise of healthcare home. Learn more about our efforts to connect communities to care through J&J Impact Ventures and to support nurses like Ashley through J&J CareCommunity today.
