Health Care For The Working Uninsured: New Volunteer Medical Clinic Opens In Houston County
Nearly 20 percent of Americans do not have health insurance. Of those, 80 percent are known as the “working uninsured.” Unfortunately, this is the case for many families in Houston County.
Thanks to the generosity of many dedicated health professionals, business leaders and a $75,000 donation from the Houston Medical Center Auxiliary, the dream of opening Houston County’s Volunteer Medical Clinic will soon be a reality. Beginning January 31, the Clinic will serve the needs of these families by offering primary, non-emergency, medical care on an appointment basis.
“Our goal is to serve the community by improving the health status of these individuals who are working and valuable members of our community only neither they, nor their employers, can afford medical insurance,” says Kathy Keebaugh, MD, one of the organizers of the Clinic. “Because they are employed, they do not qualify for Medicaid. They are trying hard to make ends meet and are unable to stretch their financial resources enough to cover the cost of health care.”
Physicians on staff at Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital, along with a number of retired physicians living in our community, have volunteered to staff the Clinic. The Clinic staff will be comprised mainly of volunteers from the community including nurses, medical technologists and registration personnel. Already, local accountants and attorneys have volunteered their time to help form the corporation. Board members Jack Steed, Barbara Shaheen, Dr. Dan Callahan, Dr. Kathy Keebaugh, Beth Jones and Avalyn Pope have volunteered to oversee the project and serve the Clinic in that capacity for a number of years.
“Many of our friends and neighbors are without health insurance and have chronic illnesses such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and asthma which go untreated or undetected until an event occurs that lands them in the emergency room or the hospital with possible long term and preventable consequences. Their medical problems could be controlled and the consequences prevented through regular medical care and treatment,” states Dr. Keebaugh.
The Houston County Volunteer Medical Clinic will be located in the former Parkway Med-Stop building owned by Houston Healthcare on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. Because the leased space has been used previously as a medical facility, it is well designed to meet the needs of the Clinic. Initially, the Clinic will be open two evenings per week offering basic primary care services.
“I foresee the Volunteer Medical Clinic as meeting the needs of these deserving members of our community,” says Dr. Keebaugh, “and I have hope that our community will exhibit the compassion in action needed for long-term support of a volunteer clinic.”
Donations have been received from many areas of the community including a $7,100 grant from Health Care of Central Georgia. Businesses, churches, civic groups or individuals interested in making a donation to the Volunteer Medical Clinic, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, can do so by contacting Jack Steed at (478) 929-3888.