Hope Healthcare Services (Hope), a 501©3 not-for-profit medical and dental clinic based in Avon, Indiana for underserved individuals, recently received a $10,000 grant from Urology of Indiana. The grant will be used to support wages for Hope clinical staff and supplies necessary to serve patients on site at the clinic.
The grant was awarded via a blind donor matching process through the Central Indiana Community Foundation. “Hope Healthcare is not a free clinic, but the vast majority of the revenue comes from the generosity of others such as Urology of Indiana. This contribution allows us to continue to offer low-cost healthcare services to our neighbors who lack health insurance,” says HOPE Executive Director, John Mollaun.
Urology of Indiana is the largest urology private practice in Indiana with over 50 providers. It operates 16 locations across Indianapolis and central Indiana to provide patients with cost-effective, comprehensive urologic, urogynecologic and cancer care. “We are excited to support HOPE with resources they need for their daily operations. They are doing valuable work in the community. Our corporate giving team is committed to supporting organizations like theirs that are promoting positive health outcomes,” says Britt McDermott, Urology of Indiana’s Chief Executive Officer.
The only requirement needed to take advantage of HOPE’s on-site clinical services is that patients are uninsured. “We have patients from all over who come here – not just Indiana. We have recently expanded our reach with no geographic restrictions,” Mollaun continues. Patients are seen by appointment and pay a low fee at each visit – no visit fee is more than $30, but they don’t turn anyone away. The goal of the program is to identify and manage chronic diseases (such as diabetes and hypertension) as well as identify and treat other illnesses and prevent unnecessary and expensive trips to the emergency room.
“Our data show that patient compliance is up when they pay for our services. Over 90% of patients pay, and we have a Grace Fund for those who are unable to. We absolutely encourage people to get health insurance. We are helping those who slip through the cracks. There are tens of thousands of adults in Hendricks and the surrounding counties who are uninsured,” Mollaun says.
HOPE has been in business since 2005 and serves as the medical home for approximately 700-800 patients per year, with over 1500 total patient-visits at the clinic each year. It relies on 110 medical, dental and other professionals who volunteer their time and services along with six paid staff members to provide patient care. Physicians who volunteer at the clinic include family physicians, pediatricians, gynecologists, pulmonologists, urologists and dentists. There is also a pharmacist who works closely with a nutritionist and a chiropractor who works with physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Relative to future plans, Mollaun says that HOPE continues to grow. “We recently added a nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant to the staff. They each serve one full day per week in patient care. This allows Hope to offer same-day appointments, offer walk-in appointments on Mondays and Thursdays and provide more acute care services. About 59% of the businesses in Hendricks County have four or less employees – so providing employee health insurance is cost-prohibitive. This can be a great resource for them. These two staff members are to augment – and not replace – the volunteer mode, which continues to grow,” Mollaun concludes.