Clinic has patient openings

The SHARE (Supporting Health Care Access Resources for Everyone) Clinic, now in its third year of operation, was awarded an additional $13,315 grant to help fund operations on Dec. 15, 2006. The funds must be used to help supply health care to additional uninsured patients in Alleghany County and the surrounding area. Prior to the most recent award, the clinic also was given that same amount in July 2006.

The grant was awarded by the Office of Rural Health in Raleigh, said clinic Office Manager Robin Musick. The grant will be enough to fund operations through June 2007, when the fiscal year ends. The clinic will then apply for the next fiscal year's funding. The clinic has been funded by the grants since late 2004. The grant helps pay up to $70 per office visit for those who go to the clinic without insurance — the group the clinic targets.

"We're doing all we can to serve those who do not have any insurance at all and those who are under-insured," said Dr. Georgia Latham, who started the clinic in November 2003 when she converted her then private practice, Tarheel Family Medicine. Latham said many area residents lost their insurance coverage when they lost employment and others are under-employed and are unable to afford insurance payments.

The clinic currently has about 650 uninsured patients.

Alleghany County ranks 94th out of the state's 100 counties for having the highest percentage of residents who lack insurance. Income is an additional barrier, said Musick. The median household income here is $10,000 less than the state average, she noted.

"We are looking to add on about 30 to 40 new uninsured patients or families under our latest grant funding," said Musick.

The clinic charges patients on an income-based fee schedule with fees for a doctor's visit ranging from $5 to $30. Even though it focuses on those lacking in insurance, some patients with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance also are served by SHARE.

In the past, there has been a long waiting list for patients, Musick noted. "We have been able to help most all of the people on our waiting list and now even have slots available for more," Musick said. "A lot of those who come to us really need a lot of help." She said up to 80 percent of those helped have such chronic conditions as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic lung disease and heart disease.

The clinic itself is part of SHARE Ministries, which has several health-related programs in operation at this time.

Another way the clinic helps uninsured patients is in obtaining prescription medications. "We helped save uninsured clients about $40,000 in 2006," said Musick.

That program, called the MARP (Medication Access and Review Program), has been in place since February 2005. "Most of our patients have three to four different medications that they take on a daily basis," Musick said. Most patients can get about three months worth of medicine for a $7 fee. However, schedules and prices for some medications can vary, depending on availability.

The clinic also supplies some non-narcotic medicines from stocks held in-house.

The MARP program includes software, which was given to SHARE by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. That software calculates the qualifications of each patient to match him or her up with the lowest-cost option possible for medications.

"Our hope is that our programs to offer low-cost physician's care and medications will help improve the health of our community," said Musick.

The clinic is open for regular business hours from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (closed Wednesday). For more information on the clinic and its services, or to volunteer or make a donation, call 372-7575.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News! Back