Clinic Clips
V O L U M E
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS:
Gail Abbott, President
Jill Prillaman, Vice Pres.
Lori Hairfield, Secretary
Nancy Swartz, Treasurer
Kay Bristol
Sonya Bohon, MD
Rev. Ron Coleman
Kathy Cope
Rich Ellis
Penny Guilliams
Carol Haynes
Florella Johnson
Ryan King
June Nance
Susan Ostaseski
Kim Roe
STAFF:
PROVIDER STAFF
Tiffany Taylor Powell, MD,
Medical Director
John Merten, MD
Daniel Riddick, MD
Cindy Shively, FNP
CLINIC STAFF
Donna Minnix Proctor,
Executive Director
Martha Holloway,
LPN, Clinic Coordinator
Lisa Mackenhimer, Scheduler
Ellen Holland, Business Mgr.
PHARMACY STAFF
Kim Florio,
Pharmacist-in-Charge
Wanda English, CPhT/
MAP Coordinator
2 4 ,
I S S U E
2
O C T O B E R
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Making Franklin County Healthier
– one person at a time
A healthy workforce is critical to business success. When a potential employer
considers starting up new operations in a county, feasibility studies include metrics related to
a community’s health. Unfortunately, Franklin County has a ways to go in regard to the
health of its workforce and overall community.
In 2015, the County Health Rankings published by the Robert Woods Johnson
Foundation, ranked Franklin County 70th of 133 Virginia counties in health outcomes,
primarily because chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, are found in high
numbers in the county. 35% of the population lives below 200% of the Federal Poverty
Level, another indicator of the overall poor health of the community. Even with the
Healthcare Marketplace, 15% of the county’s people continue to have no health insurance.
When people live in poverty and have no health insurance, they often have chronic
medical conditions which go unchecked and untreated. Their only health care may consist of
the occasional visit to the local hospital Emergency Department (ED). Carilion Franklin
Memorial Hospital (CFMH) estimates that over 50% of the uninsured individuals who
regularly use the hospital ED would be more appropriately and efficiently handled by a
primary care office, such as the Free Clinic.
An average unpaid ED visit costs the hospital and the community $433. Similar
services at the Free Clinic cost only $76, a difference of $357 per visit. Since patients with
chronic diseases are encouraged to seek consistent care on a quarterly basis, this could result
in a savings of $1,428 per patient, per year for the community.
The Free Clinic and CFMH are working in partnership to improve health outcomes
in the community by decreasing ED utilization for uninsured adults. The hospital is actively
identifying those patients whose health care should be managed by a primary care provider,
and navigating them out of the ED and into care at the Free Clinic. If the goal of moving 300
individuals into care at the Free Clinic can be achieved, it could potentially save this
community over $425,000 per year.
In addition to providing more cost-effective services, this move will also provide the
neediest patients with an excellent continuum of care – regular visits with a clinician, ongoing education and counseling related to their conditions, essential prescription medications, and testing and referral as needed. The ultimate goal and optimum result of this effort
will be better outcomes for patients and improved overall health outcome measures for the
community.
Volunteers
provide a
valuable service
to our patients.
The following
people are
needed now:
dentists,
dental
assistants,
physician
specialists,
nurses,
mental health
counselors, and
patient
registrationintake clerks.
Thanks to these
businesses for
providing on-going
services to the Free
Clinic at no charge.
What does poverty look like?
OPERATING
WISH LIST
It's easy to assume that the dirty, disheveled man standing on the side of the road holding a
sign reading, "Homeless, Please Help!" is poor. It's equally easy to assume that the wellgroomed young man striding down the sidewalk in the spotless business suit is successful and
financially stable. But truthfully, we could be wrong on both counts. The man professing to be
homeless could be a scammer, who actually makes thousands of dollars a year from handouts.
The young man who appears to be a professional businessman could be pounding the pavement looking for work, having just spent his last dollar on a cup of coffee. Which begs the
question, ”What does poverty look like??"
Consider
donating the
following items
which are used
daily:
Facial tissue
Bath tissue
Paper towels
Lysol spray
The faces of poverty are many and as varied as faces can be and it is impossible to identify
how much anyone has in their wallet or bank account from the way they look, or dress, or behave. Some have spent their lives struggling to keep their heads above water, while others
have only recently found themselves drowning in the quicksand of poverty due to an extended
illness, injury, or job loss. But despite their differences, they have several things in common fear, desperation, and enormous stress.
Lysol wipes
Have you ever been unable to pay your rent or mortgage? Have you ever had to worry about
how you'd get enough money to feed your family their next meal? No? Then you are very,
very lucky, because studies show that 4 out of 5 Americans have faced joblessness and poverty
at some point during their lifetime. So if not you, then the majority of your neighbors and
friends have fallen on hard times at least once in their lives. With those hard times inevitably
come the fear, desperation, and the stress. If you've experienced it you know, first hand, how
debilitating it can be.
Copier paper
Just try to imagine - You've been fired from your job due to an accident. Though you're recovering slowly, you're still not strong enough to look for another job, and now you have no
health insurance, so you can't afford to get your medication or any follow up care for your injury. Your cupboards are bare and your bank account is overdrawn. What do you do? Where
do you turn?
Liquid soap
Hand sanitizer
Trash bags
Postage
Distilled water
Lunch bags
3x5 index cards
Sharpies
Sticky notes
Note pads
Every day we see patients, our friends and neighbors, who are in this untenable predicament folks with serious health problems and medical conditions, but no insurance and few resources - folks who have nowhere else to turn for help. Thankfully we can offer them a good
portion of the help they need - quality primary healthcare, health education, and prescription
medications to treat their illness or injury and get them back on the road to recovery, along
with referral to community organizations which may be able to help them out in other ways.
Legal pads
If you've never experienced the fear, desperation, and stress of being poor, then be thankful
that your wallet has always been full, and show that gratitude by making a donation to help
others who have not been as lucky as you. If you have fallen on hard times, but recovered,
then make that donation to honor the ones who helped you when you were down and out.
#10 Envelopes
Thanks to the generosity of the individuals, businesses, and organizations which invest in the
Free Clinic of Franklin County, we are able to lift those who are struggling out of the poverty
mire and ease some of their fear and stress. Thanks to you, our donors, we strive, daily, to give
our patients health and hope.
Paper clips
Binder clips
Staples
Special Thanks to our Business Sponsors
Terry’s Sparkling Clean
Windows, Painting,
& Pressure Washing
Licensed & Insured
540-493-0695
2016 COMMUNITY PARTNERS ($3000+)
CHURCHES, BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS,
& CIVIC GROUPS ($1,000+ March-November)
Carilion Franklin Memorial Auxiliary
CVS Pharmacy
Norfolk Southern Foundation
Polly & Bill Armistead Fund (FRV)
Walmart Foundation
Hillbilly’s Poker Run
Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Franklin Heights Baptist Church
Nineveh Church of the Brethren
Resurrection Catholic Church
Rocky Mount Christian Church
Trinity Ecumenical Parish
MEMORIALS:
In Memory of Ruthie Wagner Mitchell
By Jim & Donna Jefferson
By Frank & Marianne Burkle
By Brian R. Mangano
By Karen St. Clair
By David A. Furrow, PC
By Stephen Zastrow
By Shirley B. Jamison, PC
By Sarah Rice
In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. William H. Byrd
By Valerie Jordan
In Memory of John Flanagan
By Nancy Robbins
In Memory of Glenn Minnix
By Donna Minnix Proctor
SPRING FASHION SHOW & CAR SHOW SPONSORS
J&J Fashions
Henry Fork Church of the Brethren
Outlaw Cruisers Car Club
Empire Foods
Hometown Ice
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
Murad & Massage Envy
J&R Garage & Towing
Schewel’s Furniture
Advance Auto
Rocky Mount Tractor
Auto Zone
Liquid Performance
Carter’s Fine Jewelry
Terry’s Sparkling Clean
M.T. Mitchell’s Store
Stylin’ 4U
Holloway Masonry
The Growing Place
Boones Mill Garden Club
Caribbean Tanning
Arrington Enterprises
Pizza King
In Memory of Gary Gwynn & Jeanine Gwynn
By Angle Guest House
In Memory of Ishan Washington
By George F. Washington
In Memory of Dan T. Burnett
By Carolyn Burnett
HONORARIAMS:
In Honor of Drs. Ken & Virginia Thelan
By Dr. Doug & Julie Kells
In Honor of Jeanne Bernard
By Shirley Farmer
In Honor of Bill Jacobsen
By Debra Weems
In Honor of Kim Roe
By Bill Jacobsen
Free Clinic of Franklin County, Inc.
Our Most Urgent Need
is Operating Funds!
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION:
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
___ Anonymous?
For every dollar donated,
City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________
the Clinic provides over $6
Email: _____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
in services to our patients.
I (we) want to help the Free Clinic of Franklin County assist our neighbors in need of medical
care. I am enclosing a gift of:
___$25
___$50
___$100
___$250
___$500
___$1000
___Other
Gift is In Honor Of: _________________________________ In Memory Of: ____________________________________
This Honor Gift is a Christmas present* ____
If you are making a gift in Honor or Memory of someone, please provide the name and address for the person who should
receive acknowledgement of your thoughtfulness.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Festive CHRISTMAS GIFT acknowledgements will be sent November 28-December 20 on request ($25 and up, per honoree).
Attach additional pages for multiple honorees’ names and addresses, as needed.
Would you be interested in (check all that apply):
___Volunteering on a regular basis at the clinic
___Volunteering at a fundraising event
___Sponsoring a fundraiser event
___Advertising in the Clinic Clips newsletter
___Serving on the Board of Directors
___Making a gift through your Will and other planned giving options
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
The Free Clinic is a 501(c)3 charitable organization.
Please Complete and Mail to:
Donate ONLINE at http://www.bernardhealthcare.com/donate.html
Free Clinic of Franklin County
PO Box 764
Rocky Mount, VA 24151
Free Clinic of Franklin County
Bernard Healthcare Center
1171 Franklin Street
PO Box 764
Rocky Mount, VA 24151
Phone: 540-489-7500
Web: www.bernardhealthcare.com
Giving Tuesday is a global day focused on holiday and end-of-year charitable giving.
Our November/December fundraising goal is $20,000.
Please support the Free Clinic by using the enclosed reply envelope or
visit our website at http://www.bernardhealthcare.com/donate.html