LAURINBURG — The Scotland Community Health Clinic received a $6,900 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation earlier this month.

The grant was awarded by the foundation, in partnership with the N.C. Association of Free Clinics, based on the clinic’s demonstrated successes with patients suffering from diabetes and/or hypertension.

“It’s partly for the number of medical visits and they also look at the scores of outcomes from a random sampling of hypertension and diabetic patients, specifically the blood pressure and the HbA1c tests,” said clinic director Andy Kurtzman.

Kurtzman estimated that about a third of the clinic’s patients are diabetic, and 35 to 40 percent have hypertension.

Proceeds from the Blue Cross Blue Shield grant will be used for office expenses, medical supplies, and building improvements.

The Scotland Community Health Clinic is not publicly-supported, and receives the entirety of its funding from grants, private donations, and the United Way. Much of that funding is restricted to use for educational purposes, like a series of free Health Yourself classes that is running currently.

“The proceeds from this grant can really be used for anyting other than paying for a provider, so we will use it for things that we don’t usually get money for through grants that have earmarked funds,” Kurtzman said.

Scotland Community Health Clinic provides free primary care and prescription assistance to uninsured adult residents of Scotland County living at or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Staff report