St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic’s Impact in Spartanburg
Written by Jay Martin (Wofford ’24)
Did you know that 16% of Spartanburg residents are uninsured? That’s about 17,000 people that are unable to access a way to monitor and maintain their personal health. Without access to quality and affordable care, these 17,000 members of the Spartanburg community are at higher risk for serious health complications. Doctors’ visits without insurance are a costly endeavor and often inaccessible to those who are not covered by some form of insurance. The people who need care most are forced to wait until their conditions grow severe enough to go to the Emergency Room and are left paying for more extreme care out of pocket.
To foster more equity in Spartanburg’s healthcare system, St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic is a center where people who are uninsured with limited income can access the same quality of care as those in the area with insurance coverage. This includes preventative care, mental health support, and specialty care. St. Luke’s operates using a volunteer/staff model and is enabled to continue serving uninsured patients with the help of community members who volunteer their time or money to the Clinic’s efforts. The clinic is focused on creating a better quality of life for those who do not have the means to access healthcare. Not only does this care greatly impact the quality of life of these community members, but also benefits the community as the preventative care received at St. Luke’s reduces the amount of Emergency Room visits for preventable or manageable medical conditions.
As St. Luke’s serves Spartanburg, they are actively reducing the community cost of Emergency Room visits by putting uninsured people in contact with primary care specialists who will perform care for no cost. This access to care, overall creates a more healthy and happy population that is not burdened by the stress of undiagnosed medical conditions and/or using the Emergency Room as a primary care facility, a practice with a large price tag without the support of insurance companies.
To help St. Lukes bring accessible healthcare to Spartanburg, see what you can do and visit their website.
Video by Griffin Fix (Wofford ’24).