The Orangeburg physician spearheading the push for a free clinic says his group can create a mutually beneficial relationship with Family Health Centers Inc.

Supporters say the clinic could open as soon as this summer.

Dr. Bert Gue says other free clinics in South Carolina peacefully coexist with community health clinics in their respective communities.

"The Family Health Center does a great job for the community; medicine couldn't exist here without it," Gue said. "We're just trying to fill a much-needed health care gap."

In a recent news release, Gue said the new clinic will be located in the city of Orangeburg and owned by the community.

"The Orangeburg/Calhoun Free Medical Clinic will operate strictly as an outpatient facility and will be staffed by volunteer physicians, nurses and other professionals with the exception of two paid positions - a full-time manager and a part-time administrative assistant," Gue said. "The intent is for the clinic to be a medical home to those community members who have no available resources for medical care; we do not want to compete with any health care organizations for patients who have financial resources.

"We've gradually accumulated donations of financial support from two individuals and one organization," he said. "There has also been a good response from the community to volunteer from individual nurses, office employees, social workers and average folks."

Regional Medical Center Vice President of Compliance Brenda Williams says an informal feasibility review found a large number of people locally without medical insurance. Williams said the figures were gathered prior to recent business layoffs.

"Many of those identified were at 200 percent of the federal poverty level and below," Williams said. "The free clinic will not be serving any patients who are eligible for any type of insurance or other assistance. It will not be charging a sliding fee."

The 2009 federal poverty guidelines show an individual is considered at the poverty level if their annual income is $10,830 or less. 100 percent of the poverty guideline for a family of four is $22,050. 200 percent of the poverty guidelines for the same family is $44,100.

Gue said the figures come from the South Carolina Budget and Control Board's Office of Research and Statistics.

"There are about 12,000-13,000 people in the Calhoun and Orangeburg County area that qualify under federal poverty guidelines," Gue said.

As to RMC's involvement, Williams said some hospital staff members are on the clinic's board of directors, which is made up of volunteers.

"Basically there is not a lot of staff there," Williams said. "I was assigned by (RMC President and CEO) Tom Dandridge early on to facilitate getting the group running and gathering information.

"We should be able to work together for a win-win situation for everyone and hope to do that," she said. "These are a number of retired physicians, nurses, volunteers and others that want to give to the community and are helping facilitate this effort."

Donnie L. Hilliard, Family Health Centers Inc. CEO, is also a member of the free clinic board. Hilliard says his health clinic, which serves Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties, and the St. George area of Dorchester County, is not only mandated to provide service but another federal requirement states FHC must increase its load of under- and uninsured patients who pay at a reduced rate by 5 percent this year. Of that 5 percent, Hilliard says 2 percent must be patients who cannot pay for services. While the center charges a fee based on the patient's income, Hilliard said those with no income are not charged.

Family Health Centers Inc. Board Chairman Henry Jenkins declined comment on the free clinic, although he noted the board will meet Feb. 24 and likely issue a statement at that time.

Gue explained that there are some 37 free clinics in South Carolina with 26 of them located in an area that also has a local health center similar to Family Health Centers. He personally visited free clinics in Newberry and Camden.

"The lady who is the director of the Kershaw County free clinic said they have an excellent relationship with a rural health clinic that is federally funded," Gue said. "She said frequently they would refer a patient who had some sort of funding source to the rural health clinic and the other clinic would refer patients who had no finances to the free clinic.

"This kind of relationship between free and community clinics happens all the time; what we're attempting to do is nothing new or different," he said.

The Orangeburg/Calhoun Free Medical Clinic would not be the first for Orangeburg. Dr. Charles Raine, an Orangeburg internist, started a free clinic for the medically underserved in the early 1990s. The clinic remained operational for about three years.

"The clinic closed due to a lack of funds and some staffing," Raine said. "I was surprised at the need for a free clinic when the economy was not in trouble, but now with the hardships of the economy, I can see that the need would be far greater."

Gue said he hopes the free clinic eventually would provide dietary and basic health education, flu and pneumonia vaccinations, and group education for patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, renal disease and congestive heart failure.

The Orangeburg/Calhoun Free Medical Clinic will be dependent on grants and donations. Gue noted that anyone who has questions, would like more information or is interested in assisting with fundraising efforts or volunteering may call 395-2343.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com and 803-533-5540. Comment on this and other stories at www.TheTandD.com.

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