Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you think Alabama Free Clinic is so important to have in our area?

Our mission is to improve the overall health of Baldwin County by providing

no-charge medical care and health education for adults without medical insurance.

It’s a vital lifeline for people who have difficulty obtaining medical care due to lack of

health insurance or low income. These residents are diagnosed with chronic medical

conditions. We also provide medications that otherwise would not be able to obtain

for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, high blood

pressure and elevated cholesterol. We have dental care and wound care clinics along

with lifestyle education classes. Even though the implementation of the Affordable

Care Act (ACA) has begun, it is unstable and we must consider the remaining

uninsured and working poor left behind.

Many are asking these days about the future of our clinic in light of the ACA. Since

the passage of this legislation, we have sought to understand what it means for our

organization, our community, and those we serve. We believe, and our view has been

confirmed by outside experts, that thousands of people in our community will remain

uninsured for one reason or another and there will still be significant gaps in access to

affordable health care. The need for our clinic is not going away! Continued support is

much appreciated.

On average, how many patients does the clinic see per week?

We have 2 medical clinics and education classes located in Robertsdale and

Bay Minette, 1 wound clinic location in Robertsdale and 1 dental clinic location in Loxley.

Our neediest demographic location is the central part of the county. Since January 2016,

we have provided 502 patient visits with 51 new patients added and provided prescription

medication savings worth $518,889.68.

What’s going around right now? Are there any certain diseases/illnesses to be cautious of during this time of year?

We are starting to get in to influenza season – We expect to see patients come in with

flare ups of COPD, asthma and other related conditions. Our volunteer nurses will be giving

out flu shots to patients. We partner with Standard Furniture Manufacturing Company

and Columbia Southern University (CSU) to assist with their employee health program.

Screening, prevention and management education is extremely important in all health

concerns.

Is there anything a patient should know before visiting the clinic?

We do not prescribe narcotics (also called opioid pain relievers) or benzodiazepines

(also known as tranquilizers) - instead we refer these patients to other medical

professionals. This allows us to focus on the sickest of the sick struggling with chronic

diseases with no resources to obtain medical care.

We are not a walk-in clinic. There is a screening and application process prior to

appointment scheduling.

Alabama Act No. 98-297

Please be informed that doctors and other health care professionals who provide free services are not liable for civil damages as a result of his or her acts of omission in providing medical treatment, diagnosis, advice, or nursing services unless the act or omission was the result of the licensed healthcare provider's willful or wanton misconduct. ~ Alabama Act No. 98-297