LAURINBURG — Scotland Community Health Clinic, dedicated to providing free primary medical care to uninsured residents of Scotland County, has earned a $25,000 from The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation.
The funds will enhance Scotland Community Health Clinic’s ability to care for the uninsured by helping purchase PPE, medical equipment, supplies and assist with operational expenses necessary to sustain the clinic for providing primary care diagnosis and treatment and medicine for its patients.
Over the past several years, free clinics like Scotland Community Health Clinic have seen a dramatic rise in patient visits. Most of these patients live in working households — men, women, and children who fall between the cracks — a gap deepened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Executive Director Andrew Kurtzman cited the need for funding like this grant, stating, “We are excited to receive grant funding from the AAFP Foundation, not only for emergency relief, but also because this grant provides funds for durable and non-durable items as well as operational expenses – these are items typically not covered in major grants. The assistance with such expenses helps to sustain the operations of the clinic that go beyond medical supplies and equipment and keeps the clinic viable for its patients. Thank you, AAFP Foundation!”
Scotland Community Health Clinic is one of many free health clinics nationwide that benefit from grants provided by a signature program of the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation called Family Medicine Cares USA. Additional funding to support free clinics in 2020 through the Family Medicines Cares USA program was made possible by a grant from The Humana Foundation.
“Free clinics, such as Scotland Community Health Clinic, are a prime example of the value of family medicine and family doctors to American communities like Scotland County. Not only do they provide much needed primary care services to a population with a critical need, they also provide a venue for connecting patients into community resources which can drastically improve their access to care,” said Julie Anderson, MD, president of the AAFP Foundation. “The need is great, and it’s even larger now than it was before. These clinics are great resources, that we are proud to support.”