A familiar face is returning to Colona, as Katie Sowder, APRN, will soon serve as a family nurse practitioner at Hammond-Henry Hospital’s Colona Clinic starting June 30, 2025. Sowder, well-known from her time at the Port Byron clinic, which will close June 27th, will join Dr. David Cook in the fall. Both will be accepting new patients. An open house will celebrate Sowder’s arrival on June 11th from 4 to 6 pm at 1604 Cleveland Road. The move brings enhanced resources for Colona, Port Byron, and Orion residents, who will now have a centralized, well-staffed care option. The hospital encourages residents affected by the Port Byron closure to consider the Colona Clinic for their ongoing medical needs.
“It has been my absolute pleasure caring for the Port Byron community. I have them to thank for making our office so successful,” said Sowder. “The move to Colona signifies growth that we could no longer accommodate in our Port Byron location. I’m excited to join the Colona office and expand on what we can offer our patients. It’s an exciting move, and although I will miss our river view, I hope our patients join us on this journey!”
The Colona Clinic is now offering extended walk-in hours for the community, open weekdays from 7 AM to 7 PM and Saturdays from 8 AM to 2 PM. Family practice service hours will be announced soon. Jenifer Sowder has medical specialties in family medicine, walk-in care, and sleep medicine. Sowder has served at Hammond-Henry Hospital since 2012 and the Port Byron Clinic since 2020. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago. For appointments or details, contact 309-949-2999.
According to Colton Anderson, Hammond-Henry Hospital’s Clinics and Physician Recruitment Director, “There were many factors that went into this decision to close the Port Byron facility, but the main reason was to eliminate consistent barriers to growth.”
“Most prominently, we continue to experience limitations in finding an appropriately-sized space to serve our patients from inside Port Byron,” Anderson explained. “Our clinic in Colona immediately offers a more accessible atmosphere for Katie and her team to serve its community members. This move will also give Colona Clinic and Katie significant growth potential, overall improved depth in staffing, and improved resources and amenities.”