FREE CLINIC

institutions in Lorain was essential to the success of the Free Clinic. St. Joseph’s Hospital, Community Hospital, Amherst Hospital, Elyria Memorial Hospital and Allen Hospital in Oberlin took turns providing the needed diagnostic and in-patient services. That support continues today with Mercy Health, University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, and the Cleveland Clinic. Since the Free Clinic’s inception, Drs. Russel Berkebile & Associates has read diagnostic imaging for clinic patients. An early realization that patient compliance with medications was affected by their ability to afford them necessitated the recruitment of volunteer pharmacists and the procurement of donated drugs. Southside Pharmacy served as the clinic’s pharmacy for many years. Financial Support from foundations, donations from generous citizens and corporations, and fundraising volunteers made all this possible.

Christ Lutheran Church donated the use of its building to the Free Clinic for 31 years, allowing the clinic to operate with little overhead except for utilities; but the onehundred-year-old building needed repairs, and there had been a longtime discussion in the clinic board of directors concerning the need to provide an attractive and welcoming environment for patients.

In December of 2016, the clinic purchased the Boy-doe medical building on Oberlin Avenue, and the current chapter of its history began. New services continue to be added as the needs of the community evolve.

Today, the clinic continues to operate with the help of volunteer professional medical providers along with the help of our three hospital systems-Mercy Health, University Hospitals-Elyria and Cleveland Clinic.

The Free Clinic always accepts new

patients.

Give us a call at 440-277-6641.