Local health clinics provide a safety net
Health care for people during hard economic times
Bedford Bulletin
Wednesday, February 25, 2009Naturally, when we face economically trying times, the social safety nets become ever more important. With people losing jobs and companies cutting back on hours and benefits, obtaining health care becomes more of a concern. Oftentimes, illness or injury can be the straw that breaks a family’s financial back.
That’s where places such as the Bedford Christian Free Clinic (BCFC) and the Free Clinic of Central Virginia (FCCV) can offer help.
The clinics offer first-rate care across a wide spectrum of health services.
The two facilities are state-of-the-art, and a walk through them shows that they closely resemble those of a private health care provider.
Most importantly, you, the reader, might find that your eligibility for these clinics could preclude you from financial trauma.
The clinics tend to adults, exclusively. Uninsured and under insured children should be receiving medical care through the SCHIP program.
Eligibility for both Free Clinics is based exclusively on financial need. Generally, patients must lack access to health care due to financial reasons. The rule of thumb is that patients who are at less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible to use the clinics. Uninsured and under insured individuals are the target populations.
“It’s important to note that eligibility is a function of income,” noted Bob Barlow, executive director of the FCCV. “We shouldn’t be viewed as a last resort. Those that have lost their jobs shouldn’t have to sell their homes before coming to us.”
Barlow points out that the FCCV is starting to see many who newly meet the criteria for eligibility. Layoffs at Frank Chervan in Bedford and at Genworth Financial, in Lynchburg, are two examples he provided.
An irony is that the parking lot at the FCCV used to serve as an overflow parking lot for the Genworth call center in downtown Lynchburg. Now those same cars are returning to the lot, only the folks who own them are going to the clinic, victims of Genworth’s workforce reductions.
Screening requirements are fairly rigorous and include examination of pay stubs or tax returns (or both). The rigor is a function of two dynamics. First, the clinics are finite resources, so they have to be judicious in selecting their customers. Second, partnering agencies audit the screening process for compliance with the guidelines. Failure to follow the guidelines could result in significant fines for the partners and for the clinics, themselves.
Barlow noted that about 70% of his customers have at least a part-time job. Many have multiple jobs. Again, one doesn’t need to be living out of one’s car to take advantage of this assistance.
The FCCV’s downtown Lynchburg facility provides a wide array of services across a geographic belt that includes Bedford. Last year, more than 250 Bedford residents took advantage of the medical side of the clinic. Onsite services include lab work, diet and nutrition counseling, health education and specialty clinics in audiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, hypertension, neurology, diabetes, podiatry, ophthalmology, and rheumatology. The clinic also offers a dental clinic, pharmacy and referrals for a host of medical conditions.
Already, Barlow has seen a jump of 15% in the number of registrations. The suspicion is that the economic downturn is driving that increase.
Last year, they saw 15,000 patient visits and filled more than 25,000 prescriptions. Barlow has tracking numbers that demonstrate an increase of 25% more new patients in the last half of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. Additionally, he anticipates a 50% uptick just in the early going of 2009.
This is a big-time operation which is fueled by volunteerism. Close to 500 medical professionals donate their time and services to the FCCV including: physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurses, dental hygienists, dental assistants, pharmacists pharmacy technicians, nutritionists and health educators. Additionally, a good number of lay personnel help keep the clinic hopping.
There is a small staff of paid employees (7 full time, 8 part time), but that number is dwarfed by the sheer volume of volunteers.
The FCCV is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evening hours are held on Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.
A walk through the clinic reveals a bigger facility than one might expect from viewing it from the outside at 8th Street and Main. A clean and well-apportioned reception area greets a visitor upon entering. Beyond the main doors is a miniature hospital. The main floor is full of waiting rooms, a lab, the pharmacy, and testing rooms.
Journey downstairs, and you’ll find a dental clinic that rivals any dentist’s office in the area for size and spaciousness.
David Polk and Anthony Bailey are partners in a dental practice on West Main Street in Bedford. They both also volunteer at the FCCV’s dental clinic.
“So many people from Bedford are treated there,” noted Bailey. “We both feel good, providing this much-needed service.”
The FCCV offers two types of dental clinics. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings (by appointment only), local dentists volunteer their time, providing services such as fillings and extractions.
At the day clinic (Wednesday to Friday, 8:30-5:00), four fourth-year dental students and two dental hygiene students treat patients under the guidance of licensed dentists, such as Polk and Bailey.
Polk, who volunteers four to eight hours per month, said, “We are making a difference in our community. The gratitude that the patients show toward the students and doctors is very rewarding.”
The BCFC is a smaller clinic than the FCCV, but it provides a local option for those in need. Located at 104 Center Street, across from the Farmers’ Market, the BCFC occupies a nearly new facility that is provided by the Bedford Presbyterian Church.
The facilities are sparkling and spacious. They would be the envy of any medical practice.
The clinic is situated nearby the Shepherd’s Table and Bedford Christian Ministries.
Services are provided to all qualified individuals regardless of religion. The BCFC’s eligibility requirements closely mimic those of the FCCV.
According to Don L. Craighead, Jr., executive director of the BCFC, determining eligibility early is critical. “You must pass eligibility screening before any service is provided,” he stated.
That requirement can become frustrating. “It’s hard for our patients sometimes to accept the paperwork requirements,” Craighead noted. “Most show up already sick.”
Therefore, the recommendation is to get the paperwork in motion in anticipation of a need down the road.
In 2008, the BCFC tended to 254 distinct patients, 141 of which were new. Craighead observed an uptick in demand for the clinic. “We’re seeing more patients and they’re sicker.”
The BCFC has somewhat restricted hours. It is open to receive patients Mondays from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. On both days, new registrations are accepted one half hour ahead of opening times.
The need for additional medical professionals is one of the reasons for the relatively constrained hours of the BCFC. Craighead noted that patient overflow often extends the clinic’s current operating hours. “We need physicians and we need pharmacists,” he said.
Paul Bisbee, the chief pharmacist at Bedford Memorial, is key to the BCFC. “He’s a wonderful volunteer,” enthused Craighead of the man who donates more than 8 hours per week to the clinic.
The BCFC has an active Meds Help program, which assists eligible patients with getting prescriptions filled. The BCFC filled close to 2,500 prescriptions in 2008 with a value of close to $150,000.
Craighead points to a need for additional medical volunteers, particularly doctors. The BCFC currently has four physicians and volunteer nurse practitioner. There are also 6-8 outside providers for services such as OB-GYN, pulmonary and endocrinology.
Craighead stated that he’d like to engage 4-5 additional physicians in order to provide additional assistance. “It’s a hardship when we’re closed,” he observed.
Dr. William McCabe, Jr. is a well-known fixture at the BCFC, having volunteered there for the past seven years.
McCabe retired from his family practice in 1999, but couldn’t stay away from his love of caring for others. “I really enjoy this,” he said. “It’s very rewarding.”
McCabe reports that he sees the exact types of cases he saw when in family practice except for those involving children, as the clinics do not tend to them, as previously discussed.
The clinics operate on funding provided by grants and the generosity of the public. One metric Barlow likes to quote is how his clinic can turn one dollar into ten.
The numbers support his claim. With an operating budget of $550,000, the FCCV has provided $5.5 million of in-kind services. Barlow points to the donated labor of his medical staff, virtually free pharmaceutical support and lab work provided by Centra.
The need is there. The capacity is there. The more donations of money and time given to these clinics, the more they will be able to provide for those neighbors that are hurting in these trying economic times.
Said Barlow, “There will always be people that need help. Now, we’re seeing more middle and low-middle class people coming in.”
Contact the Bedford Christian Free Clinic at 540-586-3711 and the Free Clinic of Central Virginia at 434-847-5866.
Return to Newspaper Articles