Legacy Community Health’s New Wellness Bar

Wouldn’t it be nice if going to the doctor felt less intimidating and more like a spa day? What if you could get your prescriptions and expert health and wellness services, all while hanging out in a lounge and enjoying a latte with free WiFi? 

Legacy Community Health is introducing just the facility with its ultra-chic and hospitality-focused Wellness Bar in a convenient new Montrose location.  

Wellness Bar, which launched on October 14 at 120 Westheimer Road, is the first spa-like preventive-services provider in Houston. It offers general wellness care, free rapid HIV testing, same-day PrEP prescriptions, free health screenings, education, vaccinations and immunizations, and referrals to primary and specialty care. Open to people of all gender identities, backgrounds, and cultures, Wellness Bar makes it easy to take charge of your health. 

“Our goal is to focus on sexual health and to end HIV. We want to attract people who don’t perceive that they need a doctor, or don’t care to have a doctor,” says Karen Gurwich, Legacy’s vice president of pharmacy operations. “In our experience, the people we treat want to be seen when they want to be seen and where they want to be seen. A strict clinic setting doesn’t always allow for that. We want to be as nimble as possible in hearing the community’s needs and delivering on them.” 

Strategically located on the 82 Westheimer bus line in Houston’s Montrose gayborhood, Wellness Bar is just across the street from the former Legacy Clinic building on lower Westheimer that served the community during the worst of the AIDS crisis. “I knew the feeling of what Montrose is becoming, and this location just seemed to fit,” says Joel Kalmin, Legacy Community Health’s director of facilities planning. Kalmin notes that “accessibility and visibility, while being discreet and respectful” was the goal during Legacy’s planning and design process. “Most importantly, we wanted this space to be hospitality-focused and feel good.” 

When you enter the Wellness Bar, you will immediately feel the comforting vibes and notice the eye-catching design elements, inspiring artwork, contemporary lounge seating, free WiFi, and a cool self-serve coffee bar. You’ll be quickly greeted by a Wellness Bar host who will check you in and take you to a comfortable private room. Wellness Bar hosts are certified medical assistants who can provide individualized counseling, collect blood work, and connect you to the appropriate healthcare providers. 

The private rooms are furnished with luxurious exam chairs (rather than the typical clinic exam beds) and sanitized testing carts, which allow for personalized care in the comfort of an aesthetically pleasing environment. 

Additionally, there are two gender-neutral restrooms with self-testing supplies. The six exam rooms and two consultation rooms allow you to meet with healthcare providers in a comfortable, private setting. 

Wellness Bar’s specially trained pharmacists can quickly address your medication needs, help coordinate care, provide education, and improve access to health care between visits. Those using PrEP can now coordinate lab testing, refills, and follow-up visits in a single appointment with a Legacy pharmacist. 

Other prescriptions can also be filled at the Wellness Bar, and a new mobile app can be used for curbside pickup or home delivery right to your doorstep.

Wellness Bar by Legacy offers quality, affordable healthcare in a convenient and welcoming atmosphere without the hassles or the wait. Whether you walk in or schedule an appointment, you will be welcomed into a supportive and comfortable environment where your care is the top priority.

For more information about the Legacy Wellness Bar, visit wellnessbarbylegacy.org.