Information: www.goodsamgwinnett.org.
I don’t know anyone who’d say a sick child shouldn’t receive medical treatment. Nor anyone who believes his parent shouldn’t be treated for a chronic illness if needed.
Yet thousands of our neighbors struggle to afford basic medical care.
I don’t have the answers to the political questions surrounding affordable healthcare, but I know we haven’t solved the problem yet.
Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett can attest to the ongoing challenge. The 501(c)3 faith-based clinic provides healthcare at reduced costs to the indigent and working poor. They’ve experienced a 225 percent increase in the need for their services during the past two years. They are the only full-time clinic in Gwinnett County exclusively serving the uninsured; other clinics take insured and uninsured together.
While many may sign up for one of the Affordable Care Plans, and be able to afford the premiums, deductibles ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 make the plans a worthless expense unless their is a catastrophic illness or injury.
There is still a healthcare gap.
Fourteen employees and over 380 volunteers handled 10,121 appointments at Good Samaritan Health Center in 2013. Four years ago the clinic was staffed two days a week. Currently they are open Monday through Friday, with late hours on Thursday and half days on the first and third Saturday of each month. They provide free well care visits for children each Wednesday, and free prenatal care for moms in week one through fourteen of their pregnancy.
The Christian organization, which provides care to all faiths representing some 52 nationalities, pays for care through patient revenue, with remaining funds coming from faith-based organizations and individual donations.
In addition to routine medical care, Good Samaritan estimates some 400,000 in Gwinnett are without dental insurance. Existing dental clinics in the metro area often have four-month waiting periods.
With such an increase in demand, Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett has outgrown their Lawrenceville clinic and has launched a relocation project to raise $5 million for a 15,000 square-foot facility. The new location will house ten medical exam and eight dental treatment rooms, a laboratory, pharmacy and more. They hope to have a 50-person waiting room with parking to accommodate an estimated 17,500 patients each year.
According to Executive Director Greg Lang, “We need compassionate people to help solve the problem of healthcare needs in Gwinnett County. The government hasn’t solved the problem.”
There are 400 churches in Gwinnett County. Only eight of those regularly commit to helping Good Samaritan Health Center. Perhaps we can do better.
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