“If it weren’t for Christ Community, I don’t know what I’d do…” This is a comment voiced by many of the patients at Christ Community Health Services Augusta.
Christ Community is a Christ-based non-profit healthcare ministry that celebrated its 15th birthday in November.
“Our mission is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and to demonstrate His love by providing affordable, quality healthcare to the underserved,” said CEO, Don Branum. “Our patients come from more than 10 counties around Augusta. Many of them don’t have health insurance or have limited insurance.”
Augusta has a wealth of incredible medical resources. However, for someone that does not have health insurance, finding affordable primary care can be very challenging.
That’s where Christ Community Health comes in. Christ Community is the primary care home for thousands of individuals and families in the CSRA who are uninsured or underinsured. All Christ Community patients are eligible to apply for a sliding fee discount based on household income. The services provided at Christ Community include Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, General Dentistry, and Lab Services.
Medical Director and Co-Founder, Robert Campbell, MD (pictured above headline), said, “God put a desire in my heart to care for the underserved while I was in medical school. As soon as I moved to Augusta in 2003, I started looking for a way to make that vision come to life.”
From an original staff of four people at one clinic, Christ Community has grown to more than 115 staff members at four clinics. They expect to log almost 35,000 patient encounters this year.
“Since opening in November 2007, it’s been amazing to see God working through Christ Community,” Campbell said. “The support of the churches, companies, medical community, and individuals has been incredible. We’ve been blessed to serve thousands of individuals and families. We have patients who’ve been with us for 10 years or more.”
“We focus on ‘well-care’ for our patients instead of the traditional ‘sick-care’,” Branum said. “We’re truly interested in the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our patients.”
The next chapter in the Christ Community story is to open a children’s clinic in January 2023. It will be next door to their original clinic in the Medical District on D’Antignac Street.
“We’ve always offered pediatric care, but there is a need that can’t be met in our current clinic space,” said Branum. “This children’s clinic will significantly expand our capacity. We’re excited about taking care of even more families in the Augusta area.”
Christ Community is raising funds to purchase the furniture, equipment, and supplies needed for the Children’s Clinic.
You can help take care of uninsured families and their children by sending a donation to help equip the new clinic to Christ Community Health Services, Attn: Children’s Clinic, PO Box 2344, Augusta, GA, 30903, or by clicking on www.cchsaugusta.org/donate.
For more information or to schedule a tour of Christ Community Health, call Ron Skenes at (706) 396-1462.
