Shepherd's Hand applauds 10 years

Free medical clinic helps those with financial need

Shepherd's Hand Clinic of Whitefish began when Dr. Jay Erickson dared to verbalize his dream at a Christ Lutheran Church retreat 10 years ago.

Meg Erickson said her husband mentioned his dream of helping out in a free medical clinic. Then another retreat participant, Connie Erickson (no relation), voiced her vision of an outreach ministry clinic.

That was April of 1995. In October of that year, Shepherd's Hand Clinic treated its first patients within the walls of Christ Lutheran Church.

"We had $1,200 to get the clinic going," Meg Erickson said with a laugh.

She and her husband tapped their faith and a network of like-minded volunteers to manifest the free clinic every Monday night at 6 p.m. for the next 10 years.

A celebration at the church from 4 to 6 p.m. this Sunday honors the many hands that reached out to care for 13,000 patients without medical means. It also acknowledges $1 million in healing drugs provided.

"It's a way of saying thank you … great job … look at what you've done," Meg Erickson said.

She credited Shepherd's Hand's success to having a clearly defined mission: providing quality health care to uninsured, working poor.

"We focused on what we could do rather than what we couldn't do," she said.

What they could do was catch the people "falling through the cracks" of established medical programs. A little over half of their patients have low-paying or seasonal jobs without benefits.

Erickson said the clinic uses the same financial guidelines as the federal WIC program, allowing a family of four to make up to $34,000. Patients below the poverty line qualify for free medication.

"We mostly see women 18 to 59," she said.

Even with Touch of Grace now serving other parts of the valley, Shepherd's Hand finds no shortage of sick people waiting for help each Monday evening at 6 p.m.

About two-thirds suffer from chronic ailments like diabetes or heart disease. The other third arrive with acute problems like pneumonia, fevers or an injury.

The need remains each week, although the faces change.

"About a third of the patients are new to us on any given night," Erickson said. "We have anywhere from 40 to 60 people who come."

While some wait up to three hours, volunteers work at making everyone comfortable. Visitors have a choice of a prayer ministry or a hospitality ministry.

"It's just an opportunity to be listened to and cared about," Erickson said.

Patients bring a variety of emotions and apprehensions to the clinic.

Some find it hard to come into a church while others find it difficult to accept charitable services, Erickson said.

"It's often much easier to give help than to receive it," she said.

A team of 12 doctors trade off serving as one of the two physicians caring for patients each Monday night.

They includes family practice doctors Jay Erickson, Ron and Jon Miller, John Kalbfleisch, Dan Munzing, John Tremper, Chris Holdhusen and Kathy Neff; internal medicine specialists Charlie Charman and Suzanne Daniell; and emergency room doctors Ken McFadden and Rod Vaught.

"We also have a referral network with every specialty represented," Meg Erickson said.

These specialists render their consultations free of charge.

About 45 lay volunteers, including nurses, also assist patients. A pharmacist comes to provide patient education about medications.

According to Erickson, the clinic uses samples and receives discounts from the Medical Arts Pharmacy in Kalispell, Haines Medical Pharmacy in Whitefish and Smith's Food & Drug Center in Columbia Falls.

The Sunday celebration acknowledges all the community contributions including the free lab work provided by North Valley Hospital and Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

CLINIC/From A6

"It really is a community ministry," Erickson said.

Erickson hopes to encourage other to follow their model.

"All of us have the things we dream about, the things we were created to do," she said.

At Shepherd's Hand, she and her husband learned how important it is to speak your dream and take action.

"Find things that resonate with you and put them into action," she advised. "Don't wait for someone else to take action."

Trained as a pediatric nurse, Erickson called the free clinic a real growth experience on her "faith walk."

"It's been a real witness to me as to how God allows ordinary people do extraordinary things," she said. "He has been so faithful to provide whatever we needed."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com