News

Free Clinics switching to Tuesday night hours

By Bill Moss, Published: February 28, 2013

The Free Clinics' Walk-In Medical Clinic is moving to Tuesday nights in March.

Since 2001, the clinic's Walk-In Medical Clinic has been open on Thursday evenings, but starting Tuesday, March 5, the clinic will be open Tuesday evenings. The Walk-In Medical Clinic is TFC's "free urgent care" for low-income, uninsured residents of Henderson or Polk County.

The change from Thursday to Tuesday will allow TFC to better meet the needs of patients, who often need acute healthcare services earlier in the week. Because TFC's Psychiatric Clinic is open on Tuesday evenings, the change will also enable TFC to more fully address the needs of patients—providing access to both medical and mental health providers at the same visit.

Since 2008, The Free Clinics has experienced a 278 percent increase in patient visits. In 2011-12, the clinic provided a total of 8,345 patient encounters for 1,726 unduplicated patients, arranged 65 surgeries through coordination of services, and made 154 referrals to specialists who generously provided free services.

By using volunteers, the Free Clinics provides high quality healthcare at tremendous value. The value of the professional services given through TFC in 2011-12 was $4,408,776. With an annual budget of approximately $700,000 in 2011-12, TFC multiplied the value of each dollar received more than six times in the value of care provided to patients.

For more information about The Free Clinics, call 697.8422 or go to www.thefreeclinics.org.