‘A wonderful Christmas gift’: Free clinic opens doors

 RED OAK — “Red Oak has been blessed with such a wonderful Christmas gift.”

Following the opening of the Southwest Iowa Free Medical Clinic last week, Jim Mitroff, Red Oak, had nothing but positive things to say about his experience, calling it “nothing short of miraculous.” 

Located at 406 N. 3rd St., the completely free and volunteer-operated clinic is open every Tuesday with registration at 5:30 p.m. and hours from 6-8 p.m.

The clinic was the dream of First Baptist Church’s Rev. Len Taylor. A few years ago, Ann Bredburg, a member of Taylor’s congregation died of stage four cancer because it went untreated due to lack of medical care. 

Taylor then partnered with Red Oak physician Dr. Bill Butz to help make healthcare accessible in southwest Iowa, regardless of medical coverage. 

For Mitroff, the clinic is just what the doctor ordered. 

Without health insurance, Mitroff was paying $125 for a routine visit to a local doctor’s office. 

He works part time at Bruce Payday Loans pawnshop across the street from the clinic and said buying health insurance was too expensive. 

The clinic is now an important asset to the community, according to Mitroff.

“So many people like myself work but can’t afford health insurance,” he said. “I think it’s a vital part of the city to help its people and that’s what this is doing… It was just a wonderful experience. It was just like going to a hospital or any other doctor’s office. It wasn’t degrading or anything to be there; they’re the same faces you’d see at the doctor’s office in town.”

First Baptist Church purchased the building, which formerly housed Hope’s Bar, in April. According to Taylor though, the clinic belongs to the community, not the church. 

After eight months of work, replacing the roof, redoing the electrical and heating and cooling systems and gutting and  transforming the inside into a doctor’s office, the clinic is ready to see patients. 

“We’re open. That’s scary, but exciting at the same time,” Taylor said. “This has been a three-year dream for Dr. Butz and myself. It’s very satisfying but scary because now that we’re open we have to start taking care of people.” 

The clinic’s opening night saw eight patients, which while low, Butz said was probably a good thing. 

“We didn’t have a high number of patients, but that was okay on the first night,” he said. “We were nervous about being overwhelmed, so we were pleased with the turnout.” 

Butz expects the number of patients to drastically increase in the coming weeks, though, and said they can probably accommodate 25-30 per night. 

The clinic is for treating non-emergency services, according to Butz, along with helping patients decide whether money should be spent on further testing or if it can be delayed. 

The clinic will also assist in providing medication for patients at discounted rates, when available, through state programs or drug companies directly.

Taylor said one patient last week was paying $50 for her diabetic testing strips; they were able to get them for $10.99. 

Aside from Butz, who serves as the medical director, the clinic has multiple other healthcare providers on staff, two of which will volunteer each week to see patients. Four nurses, along with other volunteers to assist with check in/out will also be on site Tuesday evenings. 

Finding volunteers to staff the clinic was the easy part, according to Taylor. Finding the money to finish the construction, though, is another story. 

Purchasing the building cost about $67,000, which included about $16,000 in back taxes. The church then paid about $70,000 in construction costs, $20,000 more than planned. 

Taylor said they took out a $50,000 loan to do most of the work but are still $10,000 short in finishing the construction. 

While fit to see patients, the clinic’s lobby is incomplete and a back conference room for Narcotics Anonymous meetings and victim’s support counseling remains unfinished. 

“We have to start paying off our loan; so borrowing more money is not what we want to do at this point,” Taylor said. 

To donate to finishing the construction, send checks to the clinic or the church, 2300 N. 8th St. with “med clinic” in the memo. 

Donations are also accepted for the ongoing costs of the clinic, which will cost an estimated $3,000 per month. 

For more information on the clinic, contact call 712-357-1183 or email swiowafreemedclinic@gmail.com. The Southwest Iowa Free Medical Clinic is also on Facebook.