Rethinking Healthcare
When you’re not feeling good – fast, affordable care is at Goodwill
For Immediate Release
Contacts: Leni Kirkman, Julie Wiley
(210) 358-2335 or Pager (210) 203-3300
Regardless of whether or not you have health insurance, it’s not always easy to get in to see your doctor right away when you need one for you or your child. Emergency rooms and urgent care clinics are options to consider when your child is running a fever after school or you just can’t seem to get your allergies under control with over-the-counter medicine – but they can be expensive and sometimes it takes a long time to be seen. When it’s not a life or limb-threatening emergency, but you need to see a medical professional right away, a new, affordable option is the Good Health Clinic at Goodwill, now open at the Goodwill Store on Fredericksburg Road.
It’s a partnership between Goodwill Industries and University Health System. “This is about access and convenience. Our goal is to provide a location for people to just walk in and receive excellent care for minor illnesses and injuries,” explained Steve Enders, University Health System vice president of Ambulatory Services at Thursday’s Grand Opening Celebration. “Sore throats, fevers, ear infections sports physicals, immunizations and health screenings are just a couple of examples of the types of services we are offering here.”
“We are very happy to be partnering with University Health System to bring these services to this community in this retail setting,” said Bob Dugas, president & CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio. “This is an innovative model and Goodwill affiliates across the nation are watching to see if this is something they’d like to replicate in other locations.”
The Good Health Clinic offers a menu of services, with most costing $39 or less. Open Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., the clinic enables many patients to see a provider without missing work or school. In order to keep prices low and streamline the process of receiving care, the Good Health Clinic accepts cash and credit/debit cards only, and does not accept any type of health coverage.
“This is also a great opportunity for us to identify people with chronic conditions and get them help before their problems worsen to the point of needing an Emergency Room,” added Dr. Priti Mody-Bailey, president/CEO of Community Medicine Associates, University Health System’s nonprofit physician practice plan. She says patients who come into Good Health at Goodwill with diabetes, high blood pressure or other chronic conditions or will be referred to other University Health System locations for further evaluation and treatment.
