Uninsured adults in Lexington County now have access to healthcare with the newest location of the Good Samaritan Clinic open with limited hours at 2525 Augusta Hwy. The clinic was previously housed at Mission Lexington but moved into the vacant building next to Sonic this year, according to Executive Director Shannon Madden.
Madden is the executive director of four locations of the Good Samaritan Clinic, including Chapin, West Columbia, Northeast and now Lexington. Madden says the Lexington clinic is open on Wednesdays starting at 4 p.m. but they are still looking to fill all the volunteer roles, pointing out that the healthcare clinic is volunteer-driven.
This includes the practitioners, physicians and physician assistants as well as interpreters, which are strongly needed. Madden told the Chronicle that 75% of the patients are Latino.
The Lexington clinic is only open Wednesdays starting at 4 p.m. West Columbia’s location opens Thursdays at 4 p.m., Chapin’s location opens Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. and Columbia’s location opens Thursdays at 4 p.m.
“Our clinics focus on primary care and chronic illnesses,” Madden said. We help them manage it through nutrition, exercise and being compliant with education. We have a worker who follows up if they’re on medications or need labs.”
Madden said that when someone comes to the clinic, they don’t ask for documentation, trusting that the person is uninsured. There is a way they will be able to check to make sure that the person has no insurance.
“We provide the care without a lot of hurdles and can look up to see if someone actually has insurance,” she said.
Ultimately, it’s about making the person “feel safe and secure in the environment.”
If someone is eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, the volunteer staff can help them get started with paperwork and if they cannot help them in the clinic, Madden said they have a great referral system to get someone the help they need.
For instance, they can refer the patient to cardiologists and they have a dentist in Chapin they work with. They also have referrals and resources for mental health assistance and keep their radar up through conversations.
“The people we serve have [a] tremendous amount of barriers and not understanding the healthcare system. We work to overcome those barriers and make it approachable,” Madden said. “A healthy person can be more productive in the community and with family.”
If someone needs to make an appointment at the Lexington location, he or she can call the appointment line at 803-358-8339 which is available 24/7. The same is true for the other three clinics. Numbers, locations and hours are listed on the website at goodsamaritansc.org.
The Good Samaritan Clinic began in 2001 and has grown into the four locations serving Lexington and Richland counties.