Who is the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic?

• Established in 1992, the Clinic provides quality out-patient health care for the eligible working uninsured.  Services include medical, dental and pharmaceutical care.  (Click here to view the 2008 Composite Services Report. )
  

• The uninsured population is the fastest growing segment of the health care market.
• According to America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest hunger relief organization, 36% of the 25 million persons served live in a household where someone works.  "The working poor increasingly have to choose between rent, electricity, medication and groceries."
• The Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic is a statewide free clinic model for providing healthcare services for the working uninsured.
• A typical Clinic patient is a 52 year-old single female, with a grammar school education, working as a nursing assistant for an annual income of $11,500. She has a diagnosis of type II diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, requiring an average of nine (9) medical visits per year. These visits include gynecology and eye exams, nutritional consults, labs, and prescription medications. The average cost of these services is $6,000 per year - half of her annual income. The Clinic provides these services at no cost to her.
  

What the Clinic does:

• Manage eligible working uninsured patients' health to minimize absenteeism and keep them performing in the work place.
• Defer patients' use of emergency rooms for routine care.
• In 2008, the Clinic provided
• 2,249 medical, gynecology and eye exams; psych and nutritional consults valued at $142,693.
• 2,202 lab and x-ray referrals, breast cancer screenings and specialist referrals valued at $256,951.
• 1,236 dental treatments valued at $329,254.
  
• Filled 15,188 prescriptions valued at $845,050.
• $15.50 worth of care for every $5.00 donated.
  

Our patients say . . .

"Thank you very much for basically saving my life. I am very grateful for the Clinic and for the volunteers who give their services so unselfishly."

"I once had a job that provided heath care insurance. Then, when I got sick, I lost that job and had to start cleaning houses. I didn't know what to do, but found out about this place. I'm very thankful you are here helping people like me."

THE CLINIC CARES -- GOALS FOR 2010

• The Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic serves as a medical safety net for the working uninsured of our community. Your support of the Silver Bell Soiree' continues to make this possible. Because, our primary patient base suffers debilitating chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and depression/anxiety; increased funding will provide for specialty clinics to enhance the medical services we provide... a ‘one stop shopping' opportunity.
  
• Expanded children's dental hygiene clinics with Boys & Girls Clubs and LSU/ULL Dental Hygiene School
• Enhancing our Wellness/Preventive care model will provide more comprehensive care to our patients, empowering them to participate in their health care and keeping them healthy and working.