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Stories of Impact: Wendy's
The care my local free clinic has provided to me over the years has been invaluable, allowing me to maintain my employment and live a high-quality lifestyle.
A long-time employee in the service industry, Wendy found herself without health insurance options because her employers did not offer these benefits. Unable to afford the high premium costs associated with private health insurance, but earning too much to qualify for Medicaid, her only option was to turn to her local free clinic.
Diagnosed with diabetes, Wendy was provided with essential medication but struggled to maintain her blood sugar levels in the optimal range, experiencing hypoglycemic episodes. She needed some way to monitor her blood sugar levels more consistently, especially while at work. She enrolled in her clinic's Chronic Care Management (CCM) program and was provided a no cost Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring System and met with the pharmacist every other week to learn how to use it effectively. In direct response, her average blood glucose improved along with her blood pressure.
Participation in a free clinic CCM program, made possible by generous funders and donors, can significantly improve the health outcomes of patients diagnosed with chronic diseases, like Wendy. She's grateful her clinic was there for her. Without it, her options for primary healthcare and pharmacy services would have been slim to none. “The diabetic treatment and supplies my free clinic has been able to provide to me over the years has been invaluable, allowing me to maintain my employment and live a high-quality lifestyle,” she reported.
Clinics are volunteer-supported, health safety-net organizations that provide a range of medical, dental, pharmacy, and/or behavioral health services to economically disadvantaged individuals. Such clinics are 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, or operate as a program component or affiliate of a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Find a clinic in your community.