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Alleghany Free Clinic settles into new offices
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
 | | Physician's assistant Brent May works on the part of medical practice most patients don't see - charts and records - in a cubbyhole office adjacent to the examining rooms at the Alleghany Highlands Free Clinic. May, along with volunteer doctors and nurses, provides health care to residents of the Highlands who otherwise could not afford quality care. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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LOW MOOR - The Alleghany Highlands Free Clinic moved into bright and spacious new offices in Low Moor in October after occupying various offices on the Alleghany Regional Hospital campus since 1998.
Prospective patients can learn much of what they need to know about available services by reading the notices posted around the cheerful waiting room- no narcotics prescribed, no patients with Medicare or Medicaid, no services without being pre-qualified, no walk-in patients.
But for the low income clients without insurance who qualify for services, the short list of "no's" quickly pales in comparison to the friendly, caring staff and the long list of medical services provided. Care runs the gamut from routine family practice to gynecological exams to referrals to a specialist to arranging expensive chemotherapy for cancer patients.
 | | The Free Clinic does not have a pharmacy, but does keep a stock of samples on hand provided by pharmaceutical companies. The clinic helps patients obtain necessary medications from drug companies and other sources with minimal copay. (Recorder photos by Charles Garratt) |
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The schedule stays full with 15 or more patients per day and appointments are required. Physician's assistant Brent May is the only paid medical staff. May sees patients under the supervision of local Drs. Aubrey Hall and James Walker and for many patients will be the only medical practitioner a patient requires.
May graduated from Covington High School in 1999 and went on to Roanoke to receive his degree from Jefferson College of Health Sciences. He returned home to study for his board exams, and while there the position at the clinic became available. May hasn't looked back since.
"It's a great opportunity," May said. "I was exposed to so many different things early on," he noted. He has learned a lot from Hall and Walker. In addition, he said, all the area health care "providers have been great working with us."
Retired Dr. Beulah Roblete and Dr. Unity Powell each volunteer in the clinic one day per week. Other local doctors and nurses provide volunteer services to the clinic including Drs. Redington, Freed and DeBoe at Bath Community Hospital.
May thinks the services provided at the clinic are more like the old time model of medicine. Patient time isn't driven by economics or money. "Patients get a little bit more of my time than in another setting."
Director Luanne Osborne thinks the patient load - the clinic is usually booked two or more weeks in advance - speaks to the quality of care received at the clinic. Osborne said patients often express their desire to stay with the Free Clinic even after they are no longer eligible when they become qualified for Medicaid or Medicare or obtain health insurance.
The new office space is in a building shared by the Low Moor post office. The busy area of Low Moor is easy to reach just off the Low Moor I-64 exit. But for many people, transportation to and from the clinic is a problem.
Osborne is currently working with Alleghany Highlands Area Transportation Services to try to arrange for the RADAR bus to provide transportation to the clinic from Covington and Clifton Forge. Transportation services for Bath County patients, either to Hot Springs or Low Moor, is still a long way down the road.
The Free Clinic works with the medical college at UVA to provide health care beyond the scope available locally. UVA has its own needs-based program. Both Osborne and May say the medical college has been great to work with.
UVA has telemedicine services to a number of rural locations in Virginia including BCH. Osborne would like to participate in the telemedicine program, but the expense of the T-1 communication line required is beyond the current budget. Telemedicine, like transportation and dental care sit on the waiting list.
Both May and Osborne said Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are the biggest health problems seen in clinic patients. All three of these illnesses are related to lifestyle, they note.
May appreciates having the opportunity and time to counsel patients on diet and exercise choices to improve a patient's health. He said it is especially important to try to change the habits of young people. Type II diabetes and other related problems are increasing among younger people including teens.
Rural areas have a higher percentage of the population who are overweight and at risk for related health care issues. Osborne said an even larger part of the population served by the clinic is at risk than the average in the Highlands.
In addition to examinations and testing, the Free Clinic provides patients with prescriptions. For prescriptions filled through one of two local pharmacies, patients pay a two dollar co-payment.
The Clinic maintains a stock of samples provided by drug companies and gives those out free to patients. The clinic will also work with pharmaceutical programs to obtain medications through the company patient assistance programs. This includes expensive chemotherapy drugs.
However, the Clinic does not provide any class II, III or IV medications. These groups of drugs are all controlled substances and include narcotic pain killers. This policy closes the door on any potential for patients to use clinic services just to obtain drugs that can be abused.
The full time staff in Low Moor is small. In addition to Osborne and May, four other people help with the logistics of running the office. Karen Givens, administrative assistant, has been with the clinic four years and is often seen on the phone.
Barbara Chesnut keeps track of the records, pulling patient folders as they arrive for appointments and making sure everything gets back into place later. Her position is paid for by Goodwill.
Wanda Nicely fills in the gaps, serving as medical assistant and receptionist. When asked if she also washes the dishes, she laughs and said, "No, Luanne washes the dishes."
Danielle Eavers has been with the clinic for three years as the pharmacy technician. The clinic does not have its own pharmacy. Eavers works with patients and drug companies to obtain medications required for long term use or expensive treatments.
The amount of free medication Eavers obtains for clinic patients is impressive. Last year clinic patients received $900,000 in drugs through patient assistance programs.
The Free Clinic provides medical and pharmacy services to low-income residents of Alleghany and Bath Counties, the city of Covington and the town of Clifton Forge. Bath county residents may receive services in Low Moor and also through participating physicians at BCH.
Osborne takes applications and qualifies patients once per month at BCH, usually the second Monday in the month. Patients must be pre-qualified to receive services from the clinic. People receiving Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans benefits or having health insurance are not eligible for Free Clinic services.
Largely supported by the Alleghany Foundation, the clinic has served over 2,000 patients in the past 10 years. The Greater Alleghany Highlands United Fund, local governments and the Virginia Association of Free Clinics along with individual and business donations round out the $331,000 annual budget.
The clinic in Low Moor is open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon on Friday by appointment only. The clinic can be reached toll free at (800) 370-2407.
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