Rogue River Health Clinic will be built at 216 E. Main St. and is expected to open by July, says Richard Irish, business manager and Barbara's husband. The new clinic will be constructed by Larry Johnson of Rogue River. Rogue River Health Clinic was established as a business three years ago in a rental facility.

"We've grown to the point that 450 square feet isn't enough space," Irish says. "We've seen over 1,000 patients in the last three years, so we've grown into a full-time practice."

Barbara Irish is a primary care provider who specializes in women's issues and arthritis. She has also worked with specialists in Medford.

Nurse practitioners represent a growing field in the health care industry, her husband says. Richard Irish says nurse practitioners focus on preventive care and patient education, and that people appreciate that.

Barbara Irish is the only nurse practitioner in Rogue River, but not the only health-care provider. The 19-year-old Rogue River Family Practice Clinic has three doctors: David Frank, Edmond Glovinsky and Peter Bogard, and physician's assistant Julie Newmann.