Small Town News

Beebes Kmart-based clinic exceeds expectations

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BAREFOOTIN'

A young woman walked into Beebe's walk-in care center at Kmart Wednesday afternoon looking for help. Dressed simply in a pair of slacks and a light sweater - no energy for bracelets, earrings or necklace -she looked a little peaked, with no more spring in her step than she had make-up on her face, and relieved that no others were before her in me waiting area.

Just a few minutes before her arrival, behind the door leading to the examination and administration areas, a nurse practitioner in a clinical white jacket ducked behind a door when she saw my camera. She shook her head shyly. Friendly, but no photo.

Shelrita Bowden-Brinkley's cheerful red outfit matched her outgoing and accommodating spirit. The center's aclministra-tive assistant straightened her top, made sure her hair was right and stood to open the door for a welcoming photograph.

We were laughing and talking about family when the young woman glided into the waiting area I acknowledged her arrival and told her I would make quick work so she could get in to see the nurse.

"Are you happy this place is here," I asked.

"I sure am," she said with a thin smile. I didn't have to ask if she felt bad.

Beebe Medical Center's pioneering venture into the Kmart-based walk-in clinic entered its third month recently. The store-based clinic is a first for both. According to Beebe's Corporate Vice President Wally Hudson the experiment taking primary-level care out into the community, under the supervision of the medical center's physician network, has exceeded expectations. "Between June 27 when we opened and the end of July we had 1,618 patient visits," said Hudson. "Of those, 28 percent were from our primary service area east of Route 113 and south of Route 16. The rest were from all over the country. Lots of tourists needing to see a medical person and everything from infants to elderly people."

Hudson said that number dropped to 813 in August, but the percentage of local residents in the mix held at 28 percent. "Summer tourism in the last two weeks of August tends to drop off," he said.

The only thing that has surprised Hudson and the center's administrators is the waiting habits of patients and their famines.

"We thought people wouldn't want to stand in line so we got beepers like they have at Outback That way they could walk around the store until we buzzed them to let them know it was their turn But they didn't want the beepers. We had to add more chairs to the waiting space. Lots of times out-of-towners would have their whole families waiting."

Hudson said at least half of those coming in for things like flu and rashes, coughs and aches, pay the $99 fee in cash "Others use Medicare or Blue Cross, but so far no Medicaid. We don't have a deal with them yet." He added that more complicated medical situations, such as those involving blood and suturing, get sent to Beebe's emergency room.

Will the clinic numbers hold up in the months ahead? "We don't know how the winter will be," said Hudson. "Of course there's lots of flu in January and February so we expect lots of people will come in for that. We'll see; but so far, so good."





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