Published: July 16, 2008 08:27 am            

Health, Now! Clinic makes strides in new location

Patient visits have tripled in the year since Health, Now! Clinic moved to its current location on Collins Street in downtown Richmond.

The clinic, started nearly three years ago by two local churches, sees from about 16 to 23 each of the two nights it is open during the week, said its director, nurse practioner Sheila Virgin.

The clinic sees patients for a $15 fee every Tuesday and Friday evening beginning at 5:30.

“If someone can’t pay the $15, the fee is waived,” Virgin said.

The clinic has become so popular, that new patients must now make appointments, said Melba Hay, its business manager.

“Returning patients may still come on a walk-in basic, but we recommend that they call for an appointment,” Hay said.

In addition to its two family nurse practitioners, a psychiatric nurse practitioner also sees patients at the clinic.

Most patients who use the clinic have no health insurance, and paying for prescriptions and seeing specialists can be a problem for them, Virgin said.

“We have a social worker who helps our patients get assistance to pay for their prescriptions,” she said. “We also have relationships with some specialists, who will see our patients for a discounted fee.”

A dentist will give one free visit to patients referred by Health Now! Clinic, if they are approved by the Kentucky Physicians Care Program.

All members of the clinic staff are volunteers.

This Saturday, a luncheon at Union City Christian Church will celebrate the clinic’s third anniversary and honor the nearly 90 volunteers who have assisted it the past three years.

Health Now! Clinic receives support from local government as well as businesses, individuals, churches and civic groups, Hay said.

Last year, the city of Richmond donated $15,000.

“We’ve applied for a similar grant from the city this year,” Hay said, “and we’ve also applied for assistance from the Madison Fiscal Court.”

For most of its first two years, the clinic shared space in a Pattie A. Clay Medical Complex office building.

The current location is behind The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy

The clinic’s non-profit corporation, Grace Now, also operates a food and clothing distribution service from the Collins Street location on Monday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m.

For an appointment or more information about Health, Now! Clinic, call 623-9412.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.