Rx Partner Clinic Profile: The Free Clinic of Culpeper
Rx Partner Clinic Profile: The Free Clinic of Culpeper
The Free Clinic of Culpeper (FCC) has served the health needs of uninsured patients in the Culpeper community for over thirty-two years and became an Rx Partnership Affiliate Clinic in 2005. The FFC provides medical care to around 600 unduplicated patients a year and last year their licensed pharmacy filled over 4,500 prescriptions – thanks in large part to medication from RxP.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are the primary health conditions faced by FCC patients and the partnership with RxP means prescribers can choose from numerous medications that are on the shelf and ready to dispense at no charge to the patient. The clinic provides healthcare and medication to a population that faces challenges related to food security, employment and housing affordability – all recognized social determinants of health.
Health literacy is the number one challenge FCC currently faces in working with their patients. Clinic staff and volunteers work closely with patients to ensure they understand their health conditions and know how to take and keep up with their medications. This is especially challenging since ninety percent of their patients speak primarily Spanish and have limited English proficiency. The clinic displays bilingual signage and health education videos in Spanish can be viewed in their waiting area.
Tammy LaGraffe, Free Clinic of Culpeper’s Executive Director, and Eugene Triplett, Pharmacist-In-Charge, both agree that the support provided by the RxP staff in ordering medication and reporting monthly prescription dispensing has significant value to the clinic. The brand and generic medication provided by RxP saves money and allows them to focus their attention and dollars on programming, such as their new Diabetic Food Pharmacy program.
Proper nutrition is key to managing diabetes, as balanced meals help regulate blood sugar and prevent complications. This initiative gives patients access to fresh, diabetes-friendly foods, including vegetables from the FCC garden, along with other essential ingredients for healthy recipes. The garden started four years ago and has grown with support from local farmers from Culpeper County.
“Our growing Spanish-speaking population really enjoys the fresh produce,” says LaGraffe. The Food Pharmacy’s goal is to empower patients with easy access to nutrient-rich meals, improving blood sugar control and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications. Offering support and resources in English and Spanish, FCC is piloting a program for a cohort of 20 patients for a year-long curriculum.
The Free Clinic of Culpeper’s urgent needs right now include recruiting more volunteers – pharmacy and medical providers – and more space. They make the very most of their small facility and, along with the Culpeper Wellness Foundation, are engaged in a labor of love to serve their patients and their community.
If you’re in the Culpeper area and interested in volunteering, please contact Tammy LaGraffe at tlagraffe@culpeperwellness.org.