Open house, ribbon cutting, tours Friday for Hope Clinic

Baylor-affiliated Hope Clinic Moves into New Facility, Receives Top National Recognition

(GARLAND, TX – April 14, 2015) Hope Clinic in Garland has a lot to celebrate these days. The 501(c)3 non-profit, faith-based community clinic has been providing medical care and resources for Garland’s medically indigent since 2002, operating out of small, overcrowded quarters. It recently moved into a newly renovated facility that more than doubles patient-care space.

Adding to the excitement, the clinic received the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Level 3 recognition as a patient-centered medical home—the organization’s top certification.

“Hope Clinic serves almost 2,000 poor, economically disadvantaged patients who have no payment sources—and they deliver care to that population on par with full-pay clinics,” said Carl Couch, MD, president of the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and a member of the Hope Clinic board of directors.

The clinic, which affiliated with Baylor Health Care System in 2009, will show off its new home at 800 South 6^th Street and celebrate the NCQA Level 3 recognition at a ribbon cutting ceremony, open house and tours of the facility at 11 a.m. Friday, April 17. The public is invited to attend.

“It’s been an exciting time,” said Jenny Williams, executive director of Hope Clinic. “These are ‘gold star’ accomplishments for us. Since Baylor became a key sponsor, we’ve developed a strong working relationship with Baylor Medical Center at Garland and HealthTexas Provider Network (HTPN).”

Baylor Scott & White Health and HTPN operate the Baylor Clinics program, consisting of eight primary care clinics and supporting programs targeting underserved Dallas-Fort Worth patients.

“The wonderful part about this program is that it’s a charitable program,” said Williams. “That qualifies our patients at 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which means they don’t pay anything for medical care. We do ask for donations for medical services provided.”  Patients must also be uninsured to qualify for services.

From primary care to chronic disease management and prescription assistance programs, from behavioral health care to spiritual care, the community clinic assists those most in need. Last year, prescription assistance totaled $500,000. Under a new arrangement with North Texas Food Bank, Hope Clinic patients with dietary restrictions are able to obtain food boxes designed for diabetic and heart disease.

Hope Clinic has 13 paid staff, including a full-time and part-time physician, supported by a network of 48 volunteer physicians who provide pro bono medical care across a number of specialties. Donations and a cadre of 80 volunteers, including physicians, support its operation.

The clinic has many friends like MEDCO Construction, the Baylor partner that renovated the new Hope Clinic facility. MEDCO helped defray construction costs by obtaining in-kind donations of building materials, greatly reducing construction costs. Thanks to its friends and as the result of a successful capital campaign, the clinic moved into its facility free of debt.

“Hope Clinic is all about giving back,” said Williams. “Our patients deserve this commitment to quality. Providing charitable medical care is not about enabling people. Poverty opens up a multitude of needs. We give our patients the necessary tools and resources, equipping them to move forward in life. “

Submitted by Laura Tschida, Development Director, Hope Clinic-Garland. 

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  Baylor, Garland, hope clinic, Open House, ribbon cutting