Patients line up at free medical clinic

Credit: By Mike Conley

Jamie Stone talks to volunteers at the clinic opening.

By: Mike Conley | McDowell News
Published: February 17, 2010

After much planning and work, the new Good Samaritan Clinic of McDowell County is finally seeing patients.
The new free health clinic opened its doors Tuesday evening in the office of Dr. Nisha Patel, located at 6 E. Medical Court, Suite 1. The new clinic saw nine patients and qualified five new ones. So far, 11 patients are scheduled to come to the clinic on Saturday.
"The set-up at Dr. Nisha Patel's office is so nice," said Clinic Director Jaime Rankin Stone. "We were all delighted with the way our evening went. Our volunteers are the best, greeting patients warmly and keeping things flowing smoothly. I was able to go to my office and complete paperwork."
Stone added that Dr. Don Teater, the clinic's medical director, is also impressed with how smoothly things went for the first night.
Stone and others involved with the Good Samaritan Clinic said McDowell County needs this volunteer operation. The Good Samaritan Clinic is a mission project of the First Baptist Church of Marion, with many other local churches also involved. It will seek to help folks who cannot afford to see a doctor and don't have medical insurance.
In addition, The McDowell Hospital is sponsoring the clinic by supplying an allowance of free laboratory tests for its patients.
Already, six physicians have agreed to volunteer their services. In addition to Teater, they are Drs. Edward L. St. Bernard, Mark Burton, Melanie Orange, Thomas Atkinson and Greg Clary. Two specialists, Patel and Dr. Gregory Costanzo, are also helping out. A dentist, who wanted to remain anonymous, is also offering services for the new clinic.
Patel is donating her office for the new clinic but is not operating it. Folks should not call her office to inquire about the new clinic.
Before it opened, Stone, Teater and the other volunteers were getting the place ready.
"You hear a lot of sad stories in this business," said Stone. "And it's hard not to help people."
Veronica Allison, one of the volunteers, said she's previously worked in doctors' offices and Hospice. But she's been a stay-at-home mom lately and volunteering her time at Old Fort Elementary.
"This is great free training to integrate me back into the medical field," she said.
The Good Samaritan Clinic's hours will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
For more information or to make an appointment, call Jaime Rankin Stone at 460-6832.

Patients line up at free medical clinic

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