Health Care for All
A priest, a doctor and a humanitarian walk into a room ...
Sorry — no punch line. Something better. The genesis of a local health clinic that’s seen over 11,000 patients in the last eight years.
The People’s Health Clinic (PHC) was born out of compassion and need. Father Bob Bussen of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, John Hanrahan, a local family physician, and Pamela Atkinson, a tireless champion for human rights, thought it essential to address the concerns of a growing segment of the Park City community: hard-working people of all ages and races, who have no health insurance and very few resources. A one-day health fair was planned, open to the public and free of charge. On that single Saturday alone, over 700 people showed up, some requiring immediate, urgent medical care.
It’s understandable. Without affordable health care, medical conditions are often ignored until they require an emergency room visit. Hard decisions must be made: rent or medicine? Groceries or a doctor’s visit? A minor health concern can quickly become a major crisis.
PHC works hard to bridge that gap. From the child suffering with severe asthma, to the ski resort employee from New Zealand who suspects she has strep, to the 52-year-old father of three who’s at risk of losing his eyesight due to diabetes, PHC has a commitment to care. Healthy citizens equal a healthy community. Throw in a dedicated staff and volunteers who donate approximately 3,000 hours annually, and you have a clinic that makes a difference.
Since its beginning, operating first from a mobile medical van and now out of rented space behind Windy Ridge Café, PHC has seen patient numbers jump over 200 percent. Three clinics a week are offered, held in the evenings, so that doctors, nurses, midwives, translators and community members can work their day jobs and then spend additional hours at the clinic.
Despite the ski slopes, world-class dining and lodging and booming real estate market in Park City, there is a surprising need for PHC’s services. According to a 2007 United Way Community Assessment, Summit County has the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the state. Summit County also has the lowest average annual pay for those who work in the County. On top of that, Summit County’s housing costs are 50 to 60 percent higher than the state average. All of these daunting obstacles face those who struggle to reside in Park City, working one, or often two jobs.
Care and compassion only go so far. PHC relies constantly on monetary contributions from grants, government entities and citizens. Operating expenses go up every year. Services increase to meet new needs. The patient base grows larger.
After years of steady growth, the People’s Health Clinic is on the brink of a remarkable opportunity: the chance to build a permanent clinic. Land has been donated by Intermountain Health Care and a partnership discussed with the Summit County Health Department. PHC now needs people who wholeheartedly support its mission ... access to affordable health care for every man, woman and child in the community.
If you were waiting for “The Ask,” here it is. Support for PHC’s on-going success is crucial. Donations for operating expenses are always needed. Your time could also make a difference. There’s always a way to help provide free medical care to those in the community who need it. Find out more
by calling PHC Executive Director Andrew Sipherd at 435.615.7822. Or view www.peopleshealthclinic.org.
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