April 7 - The MMDM Team Visits Hazard

Above: The MMDM's and (mostly) trusty navigator at Mother of Good Counsel, Hazard. L-R: Cordell, Jill, Fr. Gerry, and Mark

After getting some input and information at the previous day's kick off meeting, the Medical Missionaries of Divine Mercy (MMDM) advance team and Diocese of Lexington Grant Developer Jill Heink hit the road on April 7 to visit Hazard, located about 3.5 hours southeast of Lexington. It was a beautiful day for a drive, with lots of redbuds in full bloom (our visitors were not familiar with redbuds, so they already learned something new!).

Our first stop was at Mother of Good Counsel Church, where Pastor Fr. Mike Chowning, OFM, was our gracious host. Fr. Mike gave us a quick tour of the church, which was looking especially beautiful with its Easter flowers and decorations (above, our Lady of the Mines keeps watch). Then Fr. Mike showed us the space in the lower level of the church, just off the parking lot, which used to serve as the Little Flower Clinic (LFC) some years ago. We noted that the former examining rooms are still very functional (they have sinks!), and the doctor's closet would work will as a "dispensary."

The LFC is now part of the KY Mountain Health Alliance, Inc. After lunch, we visited the current home of the LFC, located on Main St. in Hazard (and in the process of renovating a new facility, so they will be moving soon!). We talked with Bev May, a Family Nurse Practitioner who is also Clinical Director. (Bev is in the photo below left, second from the right, in the bright pink top). Bev explained that the clinic sees patients 4 days a week and has evening hours 2 days a week. "We need a fifth day for paperwork!" she told us. The LFC is primarily funded through a federal grant to provide medical care for homeless populations, and Bev estimates that about 80% of their patients are indeed homeless.

What are some of the medical issues seen in the clinic? Pretty much everything, Bev told us. Diabetes and its accompanying problems - poor circulation, eye problems, etc. - is a big one, along with heart problems, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The LFC works with patients to enroll them in free/low-cost drug plans to help control some chronic conditions with medication, and the clinic also participates in SKYCAP ( Southeast Kentucky Community Access Program), whose "navigators" help the unisured and underinsured utilize the resources in the community to help improve access to health care, social services, and housing.

A good number of folks have serious back pain, Bev added, but the LFC doesn't have the resources to diagnose and treat those kind of problems. Dental care is also hard to come by, but the clinic did receive federal stimulus funds this year to send a small number of patients to local dentists for treatment.

Bev also told us about participating in the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Volunteer Corps' June 2009 visit to Hindman, which is about 20 miles northeast of Hazard in Knott County. RAM is a non-profit organization based in TN that organizes a number of one or two-day "medical expeditions" to offer medical care of all kinds to areas where a lot of people have trouble accessing or affording health care [I will be calling RAM soon to find out more about their work and report on their plans to visit KY again]. Bev enjoyed her role as "just a nurse," for a Saturday, taking medical histories and some vital signs as patients arrived. A huge crowd showed up, she said, and it was quite an operation, "Like storming the beach at Normandy!"

After our informative visit at the Little Flower Clinic, Fr. Mike took us up to see the Appalachian Regional Hospital (above) and we also drove by the University of Kentucky's Center for Excellence in Rural Health (below right). The MMDM team duly noted the many resources available in Hazard and got an idea of the kinds of needs out in the wider area - lots to think about!

Back at Mother of Good Counsel, we thanked Fr. Mike for his wonderful hospitality (including lunch!) and headed back to Lexington, where we would rest up and get ready to hit the road the next day.