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GUNBARL CITY, Texas (KLTV) – East Texas Community Clinic (ETCC) is expanding its low-cost health care options.
ETCC is a non-profit community clinic located in Athens and Gun Barrel City.
As of 2011 website, “East Texas Community Clinic provides comprehensive primary care and health insurance services, including health, oral, mental health and substance abuse. Services provided will enhance access to primary care in underserved urban and rural communities.
Their goal is to “reach communities, take care of patients that no one else is taking care of,” said Dr. Douglas Curran.
The clinic is open to any patient if you have insurance or can pay the initial $25 office visit fee. “If you can afford it, that’s great. If you can’t pay, that’s fine, we’ll work with you, said East Texas Community Clinic CEO Glenn Robison. “We take every patient that walks through the door.”
After more than 40 years in private practice, Dr. Curran recognized the importance of helping rural areas of East Texas. “I didn’t realize how many people sleep in their cars,” Curran said. “We knew we had to do something.”
The first Gun Barrel City location opened in May 2020.
“Oh, my goodness, they have come. We mean patients on top of patients,” said Dr. Curran. Since then, the clinic has made nearly 40,000 patient visits in the Gun Barrel City and Athens areas. Of those, Curran said, 70% had Medicaid or were uninsured.
The demand required the clinic to open a new Gunn Burrel City location this year, moving from four exam rooms to the current location with 12 exam rooms.
The clinics have a medical residency program to bring new doctors to the region.
“As an old man at the end of his career, I thought, ‘What in heaven’s name was I thinking?’ I have to admit I asked myself. “When we decided to go down this path,” Dr. Curran said of the challenging journey to serve the underserved, “it’s all worth it: to be a part of something that makes such a difference to the community.”
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