Bridging the Coverage Gap Free Clinics Working to Keep Utahns Healthy Despite the expansion of Medicaid in Utah and individuals and families able to purchase coverage through the Healthcare Marketplace, many Utahns still lack access to affordable health coverage. Fortunately, there are several free and sliding-scale based clinics in Utah who can help fill some of the healthcare gaps for those unable to afford or access insurance. In this issue of the UAFP Journal, we are highlighting two free clinics in Utah where family physician members play a critical role in providing care: Maliheh Free Clinic in Millcreek and Seager Memorial Clinic in Ogden. Both are looking for more family physician volunteers to help them provide much-needed care to underserved communities. Seager Memorial Clinic By Chelsea Slade, MD Chief Administrative Officer, Seager Memorial Clinic Dr. Chelsea Slade, CAO of Seager Memorial Clinic Did you know there is a free medical clinic in Ogden that provides primary and specialty care, vision care, mental health medication management, dental care, and all needed prescription and over-the-counter medications — all 100% free of charge to every patient? And that no paperwork is required for patients to be seen? The Seager Memorial Clinic has been providing free, easy-access, non-judgmental, charitable care to the underserved since 1988! We need more volunteer physicians and would love to have you involved! We have a force of over 200 volunteers, including physicians, pharmacists, RNs, phlebotomists, diabetes educators, dentists, and more. We saw 1,200 patient visits in 2021, which jumped to 2,200 in 2022. The need for help is exploding. We have purchased a building to serve as our new home and anticipate starting renovations in the next few weeks. I am a hospitalist and urgent care physician in Ogden, and I have been volunteering with Seager Memorial Clinic since I began as a resident at McKay-Dee Hospital in 2014. I joined the Board of Directors during my residency and then took on a volunteer position as the Chief Administrative Officer at the completion of my residency in 2017 as an unpaid “side gig” alongside my paid employment with Intermountain Health. I help with the fundraising and administration of the clinic and have overseen the hiring of our two paid part-time staff members, who keep the clinic running dayto-day and have helped us tremendously expand the range of services we offer to our patients. As my husband and I also raise our family of six young kids, with another on the way, volunteering with Seager Memorial Clinic helps me feel a sense of fulfillment and joy in knowing I am making an immediate and important difference in the lives of those needing help. At Seager Memorial Clinic, we see anyone who comes seeking help from us. Appointments are generally first-come, first-served. On the same day that people come seeking care, they see a provider, have any necessary blood work or immunizations or testing done, and then receive all needed prescription and over-the-counter medications from our licensed pharmacy — all 100% for free. No paperwork, such as proof of income, residency, or insurance, is required to be seen. How cool is that?! We are fortunate to be funded by a generous group of individual philanthropists and charitable foundations. We also received a block of government funding for the first time in 2022, from the Utah State Primary Care Grant. We do not seek or receive any insurance reimbursement and patients are never charged anything for their care or medications. 25 |
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