The clinic staff with award from Tennessee Breast & Cervical Screening Program

A Journey through Women’s Wellness at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic

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A Journey through Women’s Wellness at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic

 

Dear Friends,

As we reflect on the evolution of women’s health at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible strides we have made in ensuring comprehensive and accessible healthcare for the uninsured women in our community. Over the years, our commitment to women’s well-being has grown stronger, driven by the belief that every woman deserves quality healthcare and the knowledge to make informed decisions about her health.

One of the pivotal elements of our health initiatives lies in our partnership with the Tennessee Breast & Cervical Screening Program. Through this collaboration, we have expanded our outreach, ensuring crucial screening services are accessible to women without medical insurance.  Our dedication to women’s health recently garnered recognition from this esteemed organization through an award, further affirming our commitment to the community. Additionally, we are fortunate to count a skilled OB/GYN physician among our valued volunteer staff. Their expertise allows us to offer essential women’s health screenings to our patients. By synergizing with this program, we’ve been able to identify and address breast and cervical health concerns in their nascent stages, significantly enhancing the outlook for numerous women within our community.

A Step Ahead in Family Planning

Understanding that reproductive health is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being, we are proud to offer family planning services in collaboration with A Step Ahead. Our goal is to empower women with the knowledge and resources to make choices that align with their life goals. By providing access to contraception and family planning counseling, we aim to support women in taking control of their reproductive health and planning for their futures.

Women’s Breast and Cervical Health Screening Programs

At Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, we recognize the importance of preventive care, especially when it comes to breast and cervical health. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals is committed to offering regular screenings and check-ups to detect any potential issues early on. Through our screening programs, we have been able to identify and address health concerns, ensuring that our community’s women receive the care they deserve.

Education as a Pillar of Empowerment

We firmly believe that knowledge is key to empowering individuals and communities. Our commitment extends beyond the clinic walls, as we actively engage in community outreach to educate women on the significance of regular screenings, family planning, and overall women’s health.  Some groups lack education on these topics, and we are dedicated to bridging that gap.

Addressing Disparities in Education and Access

Our focus is not only on providing healthcare services but also on addressing disparities in education and access. We acknowledge that certain groups may not have a history of receiving the education and messaging that many of us take for granted. Through targeted outreach programs, workshops, and partnerships with community organizations, we aim to break down barriers and ensure that every woman in our community has access to the information and resources necessary for her well-being.

In closing, the evolution of women’s health at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic is a testament to our unwavering commitment to compassion, collaboration, and community empowerment. Together, with our partners and the incredible women we serve, we will continue to strive for a future where every woman can lead a healthy life.

The clinic staff with award from Tennessee Breast & Cervical Screening Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The clinic staff with award from Tennessee Breast & Cervical Screening Program

 

With gratitude,

 

Deborah Murph, MBA, RN

Director ejecutivo

Clínica del Buen Pastor Mountain Hope

 

 

Gatlinburg Coming Soon (Facebook Post)

Bridging Gaps: Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic’s Dedication to the Health of the Smoky Mountain Community

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Bridging Gaps: Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic’s Dedication to the Health of the Smoky Mountain Community

Greetings, friends of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic! I am Deborah Murph, Executive Director, and I am thrilled to share with you the exciting journey of our clinic and the wonderful developments that lie ahead.

Looking back at the history of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, it’s clear that our mission has always been deeply rooted in our unwavering faith and commitment to caring for others. Starting from our modest beginnings, where we conducted medical exams in a few rooms of a church basement, to establishing our clinic in Sevierville and expanding to offer dental and behavioral health services, providing compassionate healthcare to our community has remained our top priority – a mission we approach with utmost sincerity. Throughout the years, we’ve seen the remarkable impact of our services on the residents and workforce of Sevier County, Tennessee, reaching out to numerous individuals in their times of need.

Our dedication to healthcare accessibility has driven us to explore new avenues to extend our reach, and we are thrilled to announce a significant step in this direction – the opening of a new clinic in Gatlinburg. This expansion comes as a response to the growing needs of the community, and we are committed to ensuring that quality healthcare remains within everyone’s reach. One of the primary reasons for opening a new clinic is to address barriers to health, such as transportation. The new Gatlinburg location will be a vital step in meeting our patients where they live and work, making healthcare more accessible.

The journey towards establishing the Gatlinburg clinic has been nothing short of inspiring. We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from the community and local businesses. Their generosity has been the driving force behind this initiative, showcasing the unity and strength that defines our tight-knit community here in the Smoky Mountains.

The outpouring of donations has been heartening, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to make this dream a reality. From individuals, to our local business, to touching donations in memory of someone, your belief in our mission fuels our commitment to providing healthcare services that make a lasting difference.

For those eager to learn more about our clinic, its history, and the exciting developments in Gatlinburg, we invite you to explore our website at www.mountainhope.org. There, you will find detailed information about our services, the communities we serve, and the ways in which you can get involved.

As we embark on this new chapter, we carry the spirit of community and compassion that has defined Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic throughout its history. Together, we can continue to make a positive impact on the lives of those in Sevier County, ensuring that healthcare remains affordable and available.

Thank you for being a part of the Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic family. We look forward to serving you and the beautiful community of Gatlinburg, TN.

 

Deborah Murph, MBA, RN
Director ejecutivo
Clínica del Buen Pastor Mountain Hope

A Mission of Compassionate Caregiving

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I am Deborah Murph, Executive Director here at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic. In one way or another, my life has been devoted to the health of others: As a mother, as a nurse, to Chief Operating Officer for a Federally Qualified Health Center, and now with Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic. For me, it’s not just about the day-to-day operations of managing health systems, it’s about helping and teaching others about health, and ensuring our clinic has the resources to help our community. This can be anything from providing access to insulin for our diabetic patients struggling to provide food for their family, to being a healthcare advocate for patients unable to afford access to treatment for a new cancer diagnosis. Having a strong professional team ensures we as a Clinic are prepared to pivot and quickly adjust to fulfill our commitment to serving our community during unforeseen circumstances when they need us most.

As a non-profit, we rely on the strength of our board of directors to lend their expertise, their time, and to share the mission of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic with others in our community. It’s important to me that you know the people that are helping to push our mission forward here in Sevier County, as they create the effective governance to help the clinic navigate the various categories of oversight, from policy, to organizational activities, to strategic decisions.

Our board is comprised of Sevier County residents who have a passion for community service. Many are involved with our local churches, rotary clubs, hospitality, and business associations. They all bring unique and complementary strengths; some as local business owners, some have backgrounds in medicine or law, some hold deep roots with our community, but all are committed to our mission of providing quality healthcare for the uninsured of Sevier County, to reflect the life and Biblical teachings of Jesus Christ.

I am a believer in the spirit of our mission, and in the saying: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”   Collectively, our team brings knowledge, momentum, and energy to the clinic. Without them, we would not have been able to expand our services to include behavioral health. Without them, we would not have been able to expand our facility, enabling us to see more patients. It is through their efforts that we will be able to continue to respond to our growing community, to meet our patients where they are and respond to their needs.

We invite you to get to know our board members here, and we are honored to be able to give back to our special community.

 

 

 

Navigating Medicare as a Health Worker

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Navigating Medicare- a Day in the Life of a Community Health Worker

 

At Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, we see people from all walks of life. They may be the person who waits on you at your local coffee shop, the person helping you at an amusement park, or the person who helps keep your yard mowed and bushes pruned. The need for services is also varied: The mother who is taking her child in for immunizations, a person with shortness of breath, and sometimes the patient has put off seeing a doctor for too long and has a variety of symptoms to work through. Life goes on, whether we have insurance or not.  These are the people we see each day at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.

In many cases, the first-time screening process can reveal not only an initial diagnosis, but clear gaps in what resources a patient might need to develop a healthier lifestyle.  In one case, a 64-year-old patient had come into the clinic for medical care and was unclear on what direction he needed to go, because he had just become eligible for insurance through his employer. They offered a health benefits insurance plan that he would qualify for, but within a brief time, he would also qualify for Medicare.

One of the Community Health Workers (CHW) here at Clínica del Buen Pastor Mountain Hope discussed the options with the patient, such as how much the employer plan might cost, both while he continued his employment, and how much it would cost to continue that plan, should he be unable to keep working due to health reasons. The patient also learned that there can be penalties associated with delayed enrollment of Medicare, and that they can go up the longer you wait to sign up. The information our Community Health Workers supplied helped clarify his choices, and once he had a better understanding of his options, he knew which plan would work best for him.

Sometimes, the Community Health Worker plays a vital role in aiding the patient in connecting the dots to other resources they may need. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with diabetes, a change in diet or medication may be needed, and that can create an unplanned expense that their budget cannot accommodate. Insulin and syringes are another such cost, and can often present a difficult choice, as a patient may have to decide between paying for medication or for their utility bill. In such cases, the CHW can connect them with resources to supply more nutritious foods, or medication assistance programs if costs are not within their budget.

In this case, our patient did opt to begin Medicare at age 65, and returned for his last visit, as he would continue care under this new plan, with a new provider. He stated he was fond of his provider at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, a sentiment echoed by many over the years, who found they could receive quality health care while being treated kindly and with dignity. We are always happy to see a positive outcome, knowing we are being led to provide these vital services to those that need them, through the spirit of compassion and giving.