From the moment you enter the waiting room of Hope Family Health Services part of their mission becomes clear. A piece of beautifully stitched artwork hangs on the wall, proclaiming Faith, Hope, and Charity.
The Macon County Primary Care clinic fills an unmet need in Macon County of affordable health care, striving especially to meet the needs of patients that have no insurance coverage. The center offers care for all age groups. It is unique in that it is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring hope to the future through healing, both physical and spiritual.
As a Physician Assistant in primary care, Jennifer Dittes recognized the great need in care for those uninsured and felt it was God's will that she help fill this void.
Patients with simple to complex illnesses have received help at the clinic. When asked what makes the clinic different, founder and physician assistant Jennifer Dittes replied. “We take a different approach to medicine and healing.
We look at not only the physical but also the emotional, and the spiritual well being. If patients are severely depressed or if they are so angry that they want to die, their physical problems cannot be healed without spiritual help.
I pray with my patients when they come here. When they come here it is a different approach. Each member of our team is involved and is interested in the patient as a whole person, important and special to us.”
Committed to this great mission, Jennifer explained how the first six patients of the day had no insurance, and how the vicious cycle of getting sick. losing a job and insurance, too easily and frequently happens.
“I pray so much”, says Jennifer. The overwhelming success of filling this great need is obvious, but it has a downside. The clinics greatest needs are medical providers and donations for funding the clinic.
Lisa Forte is employed at the clinic as a nurse practitioner. Dr. Bien Samson, M,D., serves as the medical director, generously volunteering his time to advise on clinical matter and review charts for the nurse practitioner and physician assistant.
“Many folks are completely hopeless, near losing their home,” said Dittes. Thirty 30 percent of patients have no insurance or any prescription coverage.
Patient advocate, Gina Donofrio, assists the clients in filling out forms to apply for prescription assistance and for other services.
“I like the relationship with the patient, it is like an extended family,” remarked Donofrio. Since medical providers cannot bill for this, few if any offer a service that assists the individual in finding financial assistance needed, both immediately and longer-term.
Various sources have funded the clinic including trust funds, grants, donations from hospital trust funds, and also from churches. The free standing clinic treats many patients that would have have “fallen through the cracks”, like ones needing and seeking disability.
Tim Parrish, the Hope Clinic's development Director explained, “Jennifer was answering a calling; working here makes a difference, it is not driven by money. We're the only private agency that will never turn away a person because of lack of financial resources.”
With that said, the ability to see a walk in can be difficult. With the ever increasing workload, the providers attempt to see the sickest patients as soon as possible.
The Clinic employees and foundations that support them believe in giving back to the community. In addition to the many office duties of Angela Harper, Director of clinical services, she helps direct special events. The clinic is currently collecting small items, specified monthly, to assist in the distribution of baskets to nursing home residents in the area.
“We all have got such tender hearts, the people we work with here have brought that out,” said Karen Simons, registered medical assistant at the clinic.
Patients who pay on their own or who have insurance, along with funds granted by organizations, churches and individuals, fund the clinic. All are welcome and needed in order for the clinic to be successful and to continue.
Organizations, individuals, churches may see more information about Hope Family Services by going to www.hopefamilyhealth.org. A heartwarming eleven minute film about the vision of the clinic and the hope it gave individuals who have been treated there is available for showing by calling 615- 644-2000.
The employees credit their founder, Jennifer Dittes, with having a huge heart. Their admiration for her and for the “great cause” of Hope that she holds in her heart has spilled over into theirs.
Hope Family Health Services is located in
Macon County at 12124 HWY 52 By Pass West Suite 5, Westmoreland, Tn. 37186
Their phone number is 615-644-2000
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