Two Rivers Health Clinic: Making a Difference in Healthcare
Two Rivers Health Clinic has been an asset to the Effingham community since 2015. The 501(c)(3) is the only charitable clinic in Effingham, providing free healthcare to uninsured patients who battle various chronic illnesses. Whether diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or arthritis, to name a few, chronic illnesses can so often limit an individualโs overall health and functionality.
Dr. Amber Fordham has been the executive director of Two Rivers for about two years. The married mom of four is a nurse by profession.
Early on, Amber practiced at Memorial Healthcare. She has obtained a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a Masterโs of Public Health (MPH). In fact, she teaches for the Masterโs of Public Health Program at Liberty University. For many years, Amber has done various work in community health nursing and the nonprofit arena.
โI just really liked the idea of helping peopleโthose underinsured patients that had limited accessibility to healthcare and resources. It has been a passion for me. I like the relationship building with patients and getting to talk with them; thatโs really what draws me to it. It has been very different from hospital nursing,โ she says.
Two Rivers provides many individuals with the medical help they would not otherwise receive due to expensive emergency room or urgent care costs. The clinic strives to be a medical home for adult residents of Effingham who are uninsured or those who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
โIt is essential to provide primary care in chronic disease management for patientsโcare for their health in a holistic manner. There are a lot of people in Effingham who are uninsured. Even though weโve been around since 2015, a lot of people still donโt know about our services,โ Amber says.
Amber persists to spread the word about Two Rivers as much as possible. General word-of-mouth has proved to be beneficial. The organization has hosted community events, and various information can be found on Facebook and the organizationโs website.
Two Rivers' goal is to ensure that their patients are not saddled with medical bills that they cannot afford that stem from receiving care that is crucially needed for them to live better livesโor just to live.
โI have the philosophy that healthcare is a basic need, and people should have their basic needs met. I feel that we should do all we can so people can go out and be productive citizens who are working and caring for their families and contributing to society. They should not be thinking, โShould I buy my medicine or should I buy food?โ It shouldnโt be that way,โ Amber states.
The clinic does face its share of challenges along the way, especially pertaining to public misinformation. While the establishment would like to help everyone, it is a chronic illness facility. Chronic care typically involves conditions requiring long-term medical care; however, some patients come to the clinic with acute care needsโthose immediate, urgent care medical needs (i.e. temporary illnesses, injuries, surgical follow-ups, etc.).
โWe are the only free clinic in Effingham. There is no option that meets the urgent care needs of people who are uninsured,โ Amber says.
Many of the clinic's patients have a very complex medical history that encompasses a lot of unfortunate issues. As much as the clinicโs team tries to help patients right there on-site, some patients require additional specialist care.
โSometimes specialty services can be a challenge. We canโt handle everything because our practitioners are family medicine practitioners, not cardiologists, gastroenterologists, diabetic specialists, etc. It would be great if patients could have better availability and better connections with specialty care,โ she comments.
The most โproblematic and extensiveโ diagnoses tend to be diabetes and hypertension. Some diabetic patients require a large amount of lab monitoring. They, too, may often need other services, including eye health and skin care. Diabetes tends to be the most challenging medical issue and the most expensive. Many endocrinologists do not work with uninsured patients. Nonetheless, there are some organizations that try to offer uninsured patients some relief. Everyday Diabetes, a nurse-run clinic in Savannah, has helped some patients with home monitoring and the management of their diabetes. Patients pay a monthly subscription fee.
โIdeally, I would like to offer patients an in-house service at my clinic in order to further reduce any barriers to specialty care access,โ she says.
Further, Amber understands that many providers are often reluctant to work with uninsured patients, as they feel that they will not be paid for the treatment they provide. There is also concern about how ongoing care that may be needed will be managed. Amber recalls a time when a patient needed a referral to a gastroenterologist. The doctor agreed to see the patient; after later finding that the patient would need a colonoscopy, he questioned how it would be afforded.
Amber appreciates the partners that work alongside Two Rivers; some pay a limited amount on the patientโs behalf when specialist care is needed. The clinic uses a couple of different programs to meet patientsโ pharmaceutical needs. Medbank Foundation helps patients apply for various patient assistance programs and helps guide them through the process. Direct Relief is another resource used that often helps patients gain access to free medication. Two Rivers refers patients to a regular, full-pay pharmacy only as a last resort.
โWe have some good partners that we work with. For instance, Effingham Eye Care sees a certain number of our patients for free each month, and Dentistry at Towne Park West provides free basic dental services for our patients while also offering a negotiated rate for more extensive services. I feel that there are [various] providers in the area that will work with our patients; itโs just a matter of talking to the right person and making that arrangement and connection,โ she says.
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Moreover, Amber insists that the clinic would not be a success without its volunteers and staff. On average, there are about 20 volunteers available when the clinic is open, including: a physician and backup physician, a registered nurse, several retired clinical nursing volunteers and non-licensed clinical staff members, a licensed dietician, a pharmacy student and several administrative assistants, along with an executive board.
โWe could not run the clinic without the volunteers; we keep our overhead low because we have the volunteers,โ she states.
In addition to Amber, members of the staff consist of a part-time medical director and a part-time patient and volunteer coordinator.
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What is more, โEffingham has a very low per capita number of nonprofits when compared to similar counties and the state.โ Essentially, resources in Effingham are spread more thinly relative to other counties. Amber does feel, however, that there are several organizations in Effingham that collaborate effectively and do tremendous good for the overall well-being of the community.
โI think that there are some good organizations in Effingham. Itโs essential for organizations to collaborate, to share resources. No one nonprofit can address all needs. If youโre only reaching out to the people that youโre serving and not reaching out to other organizations to get them involved, you can only do so much,โ she says.
The clinic collaborates with about 15-20 other organizations in order to serve their patients in the best ways possible.
Almost anyone can get involved to help Two Rivers continue to foster such a phenomenal cause; any act of kindness makes a world of difference.
โWeโre always looking for organizations that serve similar populations. Weโre always looking for donations to support what we do. Grants pay for expenses, and a lot of our funding comes from churches. Weโre always in need of licensed volunteersโnurses, medical assistants and providers. Just get the word out,โ Amber says.
Anyone who would like additional information about Two Rivers or would like to contribute to the outstanding cause may contact the clinic at: (912) 527-4984 or visit: tworivershealthclinic.org.
Two Rivers Health Clinic is certainly making a difference in community healthcare.
