Case Study: The Georgia Free Clinic Network

Presented by: Donna Looper, Executive Director

Data presented was compiled by the Georgia Free Clinic Network from information provided by member clinics and a national survey conducted in 2006 by Julie Darnell, MHSA,AM of the Division of Health and Policy Administration, School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Mission

The mission of the Georgia Free Clinic Network is “to provide a collaborative support system to foster growth and development of charitable clinics and improve access to quality healthcare for the medically underserved across the state.”

History

• Started in 2003• Resource Sharing• Participation by 15 clinics

SHAPSHOT OF GEORGIA’S CHARITABLE CLINICS

WHAT THEY DO AND WHO THEY SERVE

Organizations and Groups that Helped to Establish Free Clinics

Private

foundati

on

Hospita

l

Church

Community Le

aders

Civic G

roup

Public Healt

h Agency

Medica

l Sch

ool0

102030405060708090

100

35

49 49

26 22 1912

32 27

64

23 23 23 23 U.S.GA

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

Top Sources of Funding

Individuals

Civic g

roups

Churches

Foundati

ons

Corporati

ons

Patients

Hospita

ls

United W

ay0

102030405060708090

100 91

67 66 6555

40 4237

91

59

82

64

50 4636

27U.S.GA

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

Types of ClinicsGeorgiaUnited States

Religious Affiliation

Yes37%

Yes55%

United States Georgia

Note: Data is based on 752 clinics. Note: Data is based on 22 clinics.

5 5

2028

7668

0102030405060708090

100

U.S. GA

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

Ongoing: provide repeated careEpisodic: provide intermittent servicesEpisodic: see patients 1 time

Relationship with Patients

Operating Budget

44

16 138 5 4 2 2 1 1 510

3 2 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 00

102030405060708090

100

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

U.S.

GA

12

80

85

85

10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Children 0-17 Adults 18-64 Adults 65+

Perc

ent o

f pati

ents

U.S.

GA

Patients by Age Group

Residency Eligibility Requirements

No46%

Yes54%

No50%

Yes50%

United States Georgia

Note: Data is based on 757 clinics. Note: Data is based on 20 clinics.

Income Eligibility Requirements

No43%

Yes57%

No50%

Yes50%

United States Georgia

Note: Data is based on 750 clinics. Note: Data is based on 22 clinics.

Patients by Insurance Status

Some Insured

44%Un-insured

Only56%

Some Insured

36%

Un-insured

Only64%

United States Georgia

5 5

2028

7668

0102030405060708090

100

U.S. GA

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

Ongoing: provide repeated careEpisodic: provide intermittent servicesEpisodic: see patients 1 time

Relationship with Patients

Average Number of Patient Visits per Clinic per Year

748

383

1799

1000

707

394

1733

944

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

Num

ber o

f pati

ents

U.S.

GA

Mean Medical

Visits

Median Medical

Visits

Mean Dental Visits

Median Dental Visits

62

81

37 42

9

73

34

28

6

36

59

78

25

51

1410

27

6

10

617

76 81

14

55

14

81

57

14 0

48

41

48

0

24

14

10

29

9

19

1019

0

20

40

60

80

100

120U

rgen

t/Ac

ute

Phys

ical

Exa

ms

Imm

uniz

.

Lab

X-ra

y

Chro

nic d

iseas

e

Visio

n

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

GA Not Available

GA By Referral

GA On-Site

U.S. Not Available

U.S. By Referral

U.S. On-Site

Primary Care Services

25

66

12

0

95

5

0102030405060708090

100

Licensed Pharmacy Dispensary None

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

U.S.

GA

On-Site Pharmaceutical Facilities

4245

2124

4866

2000

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Mean Median

Num

ber o

f hou

rs

U.S.

GA

At an average clinic, the number of volunteer hours at clinics in the U.S. and in Georgia.

Number of Volunteer Hours per Clinic per Year

78

5561

73

50 50

0102030405060708090

100

Any paid staff Full-time paid Part-time paid

Perc

ent o

f clin

ics

U.S.

GA

Paid Staff

Focus Unify clinics serving Georgia’s uninsured through programming, advocacy, and communications

Development, implementation and replication of data gathering resources

Strengthening the infrastructure to serve membership

Assisting in the development of new services in areas of highest unmet need

Communications Technical Assistance Programming Annual Conference Advocacy

Funding

EventsFoundationIndividualCorporateMembers

34%

33%

8%

17%

8%

Future

Tele-Psychiatry Project Specialty Referral System Data Aggregation Project Volunteer Recruitment System Legislative & Regulatory Planning