Temple Community Clinic provides health care to uninsured, underinsured individuals

By AMY ROGNLIE | Photos courtesy of TEMPLE COMMUNITY CLINIC

“At Temple Community Clinic, we are more than just health care. We are empowering our patients and creating a healthier community,” said Sherri Woytek, clinic director. “We offer our patients a primary care health home, not a band-aid solution.”

Whatever it is doing, it works, and other nonprofit clinics around the state are taking note.

“We definitely offer a hand up, not a hand out,” said Jerry Haisler, TCC board president. “It is rewarding to see the transition of patients who come to us in dire circumstances, who couldn’t get medical care or prescriptions, and watch them learn how to manage their health, and be able to go back to work, provide for their families and be a part of our community.”

TCC’s target population are adults in Bell County who are without insurance or underinsured, between the ages of 18-65, who do not qualify for governmental assistance or are unable to access insurance through the marketplace. Access to quality health care services is a basic need for all individuals, so nonprofit and charitable clinics like Temple Community Clinic are critical to meet this need. TCC’s primary focus is to “fill the gap” for those individuals by providing access to quality medical services along with health education to support their ongoing care.

The need is great. According to the 2022 Baylor Scott & White Community Health Needs Assessment, of 432,281 individuals in the Temple region, 19.5% are uninsured. The percentage of uninsured individuals in Bell County is higher than uninsured individuals in Texas and in the United States. The clinic has been a resource in the community to meet this need since 1992 when it was founded by community leaders and physicians in a partnership with Leadership Temple and sponsored by the Temple Chamber of Commerce.

Once eligibility is established, TCC patients can make appointments for chronic or acute care, prescription assistance and specialty clinics such as cardiology, dental, dermatology, gastroenterology, gynecology, mental health, optometry, podiatry and social work. The majority of TCC’s health care providers are volunteers.

“Baylor Scott & White has great providers who willingly give of their time. Our volunteers are very faithful — some have been here almost all 30 years the clinic has been in existence,” Woytek said.

The clinic also has two full-time social workers and social work interns who help patients navigate the maze of health care services. The staff are compassionate and are dedicated to educating their patients on how to sustain and manage their own health. In addition to their chronic care disease program, TCC has expanded its wellness series, “Living Well in Bell,” to include in-person and recorded sessions. Living Well in Bell is a free health education series supported by Temple Community Clinic. Sessions are designed to address issues that affect one’s overall wellbeing, including physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial health.

“The accomplishment our clinic is most proud of is our adaptability,” Woytek said. “Temple Community Clinic has quickly adapted to changes as far as an increase in patients served, increase in patients presenting with complex needs, and unique challenges from the after-effects of the pandemic. We are not afraid of change and growth. Over the last 30 years, our clinic has shifted and changed its operations and patient processes to meet the needs of our community.”

The most recent and largest change is in location. Slated to open in December, the new clinic will be on the corner of South 31st Street and Avenue J. Less than a mile from Baylor Scott & White Health, the new clinic will be more accessible to patients and will accommodate the significant growth it has experienced. Fundraising continues as the building takes shape, heralding a new chapter in a longstanding community health resource.

TEMPLE COMMUNITY CLINIC BY THE NUMBERS

In 2022, Temple Community Clinic served 1,534 unduplicated patients, had 4,556 appointments, and 13,274 encounters with patients. We assisted patients in obtaining 1,999 medications through prescription assistance programs, valuing $2,878,133 of savings to patients and our community.

Below is a snapshot of data compiled directly from patient surveys collected at checkout:

• Without access to care at TCC, 41% do not know where they would get care, 36% would go to the emergency room and 12% would not seek care. By providing access to primary health care and preventive services, the estimated savings are $2,093,000 to the community.
• Reduced hospital admissions by 45%, valuing at an estimated $1,526,500 in savings.
• 92% feel their overall health has improved since becoming a patient at the clinic.
• 91% rate the experience at the clinic 5 stars out of 5.
• 98% consider the clinic their primary care provider.

LEARN MORE
Address: 1905 Curtis B Elliot Drive, Temple
Phone: 254-771-3374
Website: templecommunityclinic.org