What is a Free Clinic? |
 |
Free clinics offer free or low-cost care to persons who have no health insurance and limited or no income. The range of services can include primary care for acute and non-emergent conditions, dental services, and mental health services. Many clinics are faith-based and provide a valuable safety net for those in need. Free clinics are typically staffed by physicians, nurses and pharmacists who volunteer their time to help their community. Please thank these healthcare workers for donating their time and talent to help others. If you are able, consider making a donation or volunteer your time. |
How Do You Choose a Free Clinic?
With over 1,000 free clinics nationwide, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. The key is to research your choices so you find a free clinic that fits your needs and provides quality care. Below is a list of factors to consider when selecting a free clinic:
|
1. Location
You can obtain a list of providers in a specific area by using our Find a Provider
tool. If you enter free or low cost clinics for facility type and a zip code, you
are given a list of providers and the distance in miles from the zip code. If you
use our advanced search, you can narrow down the list by providing a radius limit.
|
Sample results from our Find a Provider tool
|
|
2. QualityQuality is often overlooked but extremely important. WhereToFindCare.com is the only place that gives you a quality score to assist you in choosing a free clinic: the WTFC Quality Score. |
|
The WTFC Quality Score is the percentage of people who rated the free clinic on WhereToFindCare.com and said they received quality care. This experience-based free clinic satisfaction score cannot be found elsewhere today except by word of mouth.
|
|
3. Recommendations |
 |
Word of mouth recommendations are very important. Recommendations can tell us whether we can get along with providers on a personal level. Ask friends, family, and other associates if they have had experiences with the free clinics on your list. You can also use WhereToFindCare.com to find word of mouth recommendations.
|
We ask patients, visitors, and caregivers to rate providers by completing a short review. You can read other people’s experience by going to a provider’s page on WheretoFindCare.com and clicking on the Reviews tab. There you see how others answered questions, and any comments made about the provider. Also look for CareStars™ recognition. People may have left comments on WhereToFindCare.com about exceptional caregivers at the free clinic. CareStars™ comments give you a sense that the free clinic employs caring individuals that will provide the service you need. And once you selected a free clinic, please revisit WhereToFindCare.com and share your experience by rating your provider. Your recommendation will help others make their decision.
|
4. Availability
Check out the hours of operation for the free clinic. Many free clinics have limited availability. Try to locate a clinic that will fit into your schedule.
|
5. Services offeredFree clinics may offer a range of services: primary care, urgent care, dental, mental health, etc. Find a clinic that suits your needs.
|
6. Consider What Each Free Clinic Offers
Once you’ve narrowed down the list of free clinics you should consider all the other things each facility has to offer. In your search results, click on the name of a provider to see more information. Be sure to check out photos, video tours, amenities, contact information and much more.
|
What are the Next Steps?
Call the free clinic and inquire about any qualifications, fees, or any other questions. Please visit the provider page on WhereToFindCare.com to find address and contact information, and to get driving directions. Some providers have contact forms on their provider page, so it may be possible to email your questions to them. When contacting the provider, please be sure to mention you saw them on WhereToFindCare.com.
Information on WheretoFindCare.com
is for informational purposes only. See the disclaimer on the
Terms of Service page.
|