Affordable heath care clinic planned for Athens

Courtesy Photo Board and Administrative officers of Disciples Clinic of Athens. Standing, L-R, Neil Hunter; Ty Morris; Barbara Pettycrew; Dora Walls; Steve Woodruff, DDS; Joe Ed Smith, MD; Steve Grant; Mike Riffe. Seated L-R Melvin Bateman, JD; Gary Williamson, MD; Clay Estes; Layton Holt; Jan Wiley Affordable health care for the citizens of Henderson County will be available in 2009. A new low-cost medical clinic will open in 2009 in Athens, Texas. This clinic will provide low-cost basic medical services to persons and their families who live and work within Henderson County who have no medical insurance or means to obtain basic medical services. Started as an Outreach Ministry by First Christian Church of Athens, the support for this clinic has grown to a community-wide effort with support from local civic leaders and physicians. There has been strong support from the local medical community.

Texas leads the nation with the highest percentage of individuals without health insurance. For the years of 2006 and 2007, 24.8% of Texans were without health insurance. That figure applied to the 2006 estimated population of Henderson County, would translate to 19,895 individuals in need within our community.

The need for medical care for our uninsured neighbors is greater than ever. Jobs are being eliminated daily across our communities and fewer employers are able to offer health insurance. Because individuals and families cannot afford insurance, the uninsured often have to delay or without seeing a doctor for conditions that can be treated early in a primary care setting. When a condition is ignored early on it can lead to trips to the emergency room. It is more costly to treat and can result in hospital stays that could be avoided. This new clinic will address these problems. The Board members appointed to coordinate the formation of this clinic are: Melvin Bateman, JD; Steve Grant; Neil Hunter; Ty Morris; Barbara Pettycrew; Mike Riffe; Joe Ed Smith, MD; Jan Wiley and Steve C.Woodruff, DDS. Gary Williamson, MD is Chief Medical Officer, Layton Holt is Chief Administrative Officer and Dora Walls is Recording Secretary.