The details
The 9,400-square-foot facility on West San Antonio Street was funded by $2.5 million raised by Oakwood Church, replacing the previous clinic located across the street, offering more space to accommodate the growing demand for health care.
“Many patients have been cared for, prayed for, and screened in [the previous facility] for more than 15 years,” said Jim Wesson, executive director of New Braunfels Christian Ministries. “Physicians, nurses, dentists and others have worked and volunteered in that building, but now it's a new season."
Ray Still, senior pastor at Oakwood Church, said that the clinic’s mission is to provide care to uninsured individuals, filling a gap in medical services for those who are under-resourced.
"Between medical doctors and health professionals and generous Christian people, we ought to be able to take care of people in our community," Still said.
The new facility consists of:
- Six exam rooms
- Three dental operatories
- A patient education classroom
- Additional workspace for staff
Expected to serve over 7,000 visits annually, the clinic now has the capacity to expand services, focusing on common conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and depression, Wesson said.
The clinic aims to address the growing need for health care in the region, with over 25,000 residents—13.3% of Comal County's population—lacking health insurance, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
“[Volunteers in Medicine] may not be the complete solution, but it is one solution,” Wesson said in an Oct. 3 news release from the organization. “It may be the solution that helps someone manage their diabetes, control their high blood pressure, or treat their asthma or [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]."
What’s next?
Wesson said there's a drop-in open house planned, where doctors, dentists, nurses and other medical professionals can come by to see the new clinic.
“We hope what happens is we have more medical professionals volunteer to come serve here,” Wesson said. “That's our next goal."
