Community Clinic Serving Patients in Down Economy

Press Release

Community Clinic Serving Patients In Down Economy

Boozman visits with constituents, discusses health care

By Lana F. Flowers

THE MORNING NEWS

Community clinics will help provide needed medical care to those without insurance or who cannot afford insurance in a struggling economy, said 3rd District Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers.

"We just have significant problems. If you lose your job, you lose your health insurance," Boozman said as he toured the Community Clinic Rogers Medical building along West Poplar Place on Friday.

The area has lost jobs in the past months, including three rounds of layoffs since June at Mercy Health Systems of Northwest Arkansas; a Black & Decker plant in Decatur closed in August, eliminating 80 jobs; and retailers and restaurants, including Granite City Food and Brewery, Sharper Image and The Discovery Channel Store, which all closed at Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers.

Linens n Things is bankrupt and closing stores nationwide, including one in Rogers, and Harold's, a clothing store at Pinnacle Hills Promenade, also is closing.

Boozman said if someone had asked him two years ago what would be the premier issue in the presidential election, he would have said health care. But, $4 per gallon gasoline and the economy took center stage instead, he said, and it's time to discuss health care needs again.

Despite recent job losses, the Rogers-Fayetteville-Springdale-area's unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in October, the lowest among Arkansas' population centers, according to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.

Still, some people struggle to pay for or access health care, said Margarita Solarzano, executive director of the Hispanic Women's Organization of Northwest Arkansas.

Many doctors are overbooked and either new patients cannot get appointments in a timely manner or cannot get an appointment at all, Solorzano said.

However, the Community Clinic has opened its doors to women who need prenatal care, assists children who need dental care and provides doctors to those who need them, Solorzano said.

The nonprofit Community Clinic in January got a grant worth $600,000 each year for five years, said Kathy Grisham, Community Clinic executive director.

The grant provided money for the clinic to provide patients with primary care, such as visits for flu or sore throats; pediatric care; and prenatal care, Grisham said.

The Community Clinic Rogers Medical sees about 5,000 patients each year, she said, and has bilingual staff. The clinic sees ARKids First patients, those on Medicare and on Medicaid.

Dental patients can get care at Community Clinic Rogers Dental at 3710 Southern Hills, Suite 700.

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