Greater Killeen Community Clinic offers compassionate care
By Amy Rognlie | Photos by Justin Borja
Compassionate, personalized and comprehensive care is the norm at the Greater Killeen Community Clinic. Since 1994, the clinic has been a strong advocate for those who have limited or no access to health care services. And far from a typical walk-in clinic, the GKCC offers its clients a caring, comprehensive approach to health care.
“When we get a patient, we keep that patient because we want to get them to full health,” said TaNeika Driver-Moultrie, the clinic’s executive director. “Once a person walks through our doors and we accept them as a patient, we become their primary care provider. We bring them into the family fold and get to know them as people.”
The clinic exclusively serves children and adults who are uninsured and not eligible for other health care programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE or VA services. The clinic offers an acute care clinic every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, as well as a chronic care clinic every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, all of which are by appointment only. In addition, cardiology appointments are available once a month on Monday evenings.
The clinic serves patients in Killeen and surrounding Central Texas communities including Harker Heights, Nolanville, Florence, Gatesville, Copperas Cove, Kempner and Lampasas. Its service area covers Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties, where there are few low- or no-cost clinics available, resulting in very limited appointment availability for those in need.
“Our goal is to help our patients progress in overcoming their health challenges,” Driver-Moultrie said. “That’s not going to happen if a patient is only able to see a doctor once a month. That’s too far in between.”
For example, the clinic staff see their diabetic patients weekly or more frequently, if need be — checking their glucose levels, making sure they are doing better and educating them about diet and exercise. In addition, the clinic supplies food boxes with healthy, diabetes-friendly ingredients.
“We may not be able to be at home cooking dinner with our patients, but we do whatever we can to provide them with groceries to ensure they’re focused on their nutritional diet,” she said.
“Whatever they can” is no small contribution. Besides seeing over 115 patients per week, the clinic also provides a prescription assistance program to help qualified patients to obtain free or low-cost medication. More than 180 programs are offered by pharmaceutical companies nationwide and each program has different eligibility requirements. Driver-Moultrie said patients at the Killeen clinic received approximately $2.6 million in free prescriptions last year.
In addition to ongoing services, the clinic partners with other organizations to provide mental health services. Patients can schedule a free telehealth visit with Baylor Scott & White psychology residents or utilize Texas A&M’s counseling services at a minimal cost.
Passion for patients is clear in everything the clinic does, but also extends to the community.
“We love to be involved in community outreach events. It’s in our name: community,” Driver-Moultrie said. “Our goal is to tell the story of the clinic and let people know we are still here! We were very active in COVID-19 vaccine clinics, and we had a Killeen Day of Smiles on Sept. 24 to provide free dental extractions or dental filling to those ages 18 and older who are low income and have no dental insurance.”
Staffed by both paid providers as well as many volunteers, the clinic’s mission remains constant. “We want to be that voice to combat health disparities in our underserved communities and to be present. To hear one patient say ‘Thank you’ or ‘You are a godsend’ makes it all worth it.”
How to help
Volunteers are vital to the mission of the clinic. Volunteer opportunities are available during clinic hours, which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Medical and nonmedical volunteers are needed, and bilingual volunteers are especially helpful. Call 254-618-4211 or go to gkfclinic.org to learn more.
