For some, the term "free clinic" conjures up visions of a small, sparse, medical office with few accoutrements short of an exam table, stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. United Way of the Virginia Peninsula's focus on Community Health has helped expand that vision through its support of two local state-of-the art free clinics providing primary and chronic medical and dental healthcare and prescription medications for the unemployed and working uninsured.
Community Health is just one of three “Impact Areas” adopted by local United Ways in support of United Way Worldwide’s effort to build stronger communities by improving health, education, and self-sufficiency. On the Peninsula, United Way targets program funding toward community health strategies that are prevention-based to provide long-term benefits, lower costs, and decrease emergency room visits. The Gloucester-Mathews Care Clinic and Lackey Free Clinic are just two examples of how United Way funds are improving healthcare for local residents.
The Gloucester-Mathews Care Clinic (GMCC) last year served approximately 2,000 unemployed and uninsured residents with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease and other chronic medical conditions. Most GMCC patients were without health insurance for six months or longer, had exhausted their own resources and were resorting to local emergency rooms for primary care. With the average emergency room visit costing $2,400 and the average clinic visit less than $100, GMCC has been able to reduce unnecessary use of the emergency room from 7% to 3% over the past year.
The Lackey Free Clinic serves a population that includes York County, Williamsburg, James City County, Poquoson, and Newport News, 14% of whom are uninsured and more than half with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Like GMCC, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease represent 75% of Lackey’s patient population.
The overall diagnostic capabilities of the free clinics are impressive. Lackey Free Clinic is able to provide echocardiograms to diagnose heart function and disease before invasive intervention; digital imaging and diagnostic ophthalmology equipment to examine and treat retina disorders of chronic disease patients; and ultrasounds to diagnose and treat vascular disease and blood clots.
Most insurance plans, including The Affordable Care Act, do not include access to dental care, which is linked to complications of chronic diseases. Both GMCC and Lackey provide state-of-the-art dental care to patients with local dentists volunteering their time to provide this critical need.
These are just two examples of United Way’s investment in improving the health of our local residents.
In the coming weeks we will see how funds are making an impact in the lives of families with children who have life-threatening illnesses, addressing mental health needs for adults, children and families, and youth substance abuse intervention and treatment.