MESA, AZ — St. Vincent de Paul has opened a new medical clinic in Mesa, offering free healthcare to uninsured and underinsured patients who previously had limited local options.
More than 759,000 people in Arizona are uninsured or underinsured, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The clinic offers nearly any medical service patients may need. All medicine and office visits are available at no cost. Services that come from outside sources may involve a cost.
Before the Mesa location opened, patients had to take long bus rides to St. Vincent de Paul's other clinic on West Watkins Road in Phoenix — a costly trip for those coming from the East Valley.
Brenden Smith is a physician's assistant at the clinic and one of the few full-time employees. The rest of the staff is made up of volunteers.
"Being able to take care of those in our community that don't usually have access to healthcare makes everything better for everyone in the community. Those who don't have access. This gives them a way to get the help they need," Smith said.
Public health officials say uninsured people tend to put off their personal health concerns. The Mesa clinic also serves as a learning facility, where medical students from Arizona State and Creighton will study.
Dr. John Anwar directs both St. Vincent de Paul clinics. The Mesa location cost $6 million to build, with every dollar coming from an anonymous donation. Anwar says clinics like this give the uninsured an alternative to hospital emergency rooms.
"In my opinion, everyone should have access to healthcare," Anwar said. "There is a continuity of care here. You can't get a continuity of care in an emergency room. This is where St. Vincent de Paul was successful in Phoenix, and now, we're opening here."
Anwar hopes for a day when more clinics like this exist across the valley. He also says the clinic hopes to make a formal arrangement with a nearby medical provider for lab services for patients.
The new clinic sits at 2352 W. Main Street near N. Phyllis Street. It sits less than a block from a Valley Metro Rail stop. The office phone number is (602) 261-6825.
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