PARK CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Nearly five thousand Utahns in one community received medical care ranging from sinus infections, to welcoming new babies into the world, free of charge last year.
They were all patients at the people's health clinic in park city. It's all made possible through volunteer service and community donations.
The people's health clinic began treating people out of a van in the late nineties.
"It's a labor of love. I think that when you hear some of the stories of the patients and the things that they have going through it just touches your heart. It moves you to want to help,” says Nann Worel of the people’s health clinic.
Many people have helped over the years. Next month they are moving into a new facility. It is a gift from the community they serve. They pay just one dollar a year for double the space. It comes just in time… more people need free medical care than ever before. The people's health clinic has seen a 22 percent increase in patients in the past year.
"A third of our patients work in the restaurant or hospitality industry. We have musicians, we have realtors, we have middle class people who have recently lost their jobs,” Worel says.
When patients come in they visit board certified doctors and nurses, they receive medical treatment, and needed medication.
"They get prime quality care. It's very important to us that people get the same quality of care here that you would and i would expect if we went in with insurance to see a physician,” says Worel.
The patients here have no insurance, and they are treated by volunteers like Claudia Boulter. She provides health education. Boulter says serving others has its rewards.
"I go home and my husband says, ‘how was your day,’ and I say, ‘wonderful,’ because I really like what I do here,” says Boulter.
Last year 360 thousand dollars in volunteer hours were donated to the clinic, along with about a half million dollars in supplies. With a bigger facility, they are asking for more volunteers, and more funding never hurts either.
To be treated at the clinic, a 15 dollar donation is recommended but not required. Right now there's no wait, but they do ask that you call ahead for an appointment. They only have enough volunteers to stay open three days a week.
