Crossroads Clinic, serving the uninsured in St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren and Montgomery counties, continues to treat its patients by using telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cheryl …
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Crossroads Clinic, serving the uninsured in St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren and Montgomery counties, continues to treat its patients by using telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cheryl Moellenhoff, RN, said because so many of their volunteers are retired, the office is not open to the public, but their staff is still meeting the needs of the clinic’s patients.
“The only thing that is different is that they are not sitting here,” said Moellenhoff. “When it’s safe, I’d like the patients to return, but I have to be mindful of my volunteers.”
“It’s difficult, but we are used to difficulty,” said Dr. Peter Montgomery. “We can find solutions. There are some (patients) I wish I could see. That’s a frustration.”
Most of the patients don’t have smart phones, so Zoom or Facetime is not available to most of them. Moellenhoff said they are serving current patients and are still taking applications for new patients. Because they can’t be seen in person, each new client is screened carefully.
When patients call, they will speak to a receptionist who will turn the case over to a registered nurse or one of the doctors. An appointment is set up within the normal hours of the clinic to speak to a doctor if needed. Patients can be served Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. by calling 636-561-3133.
Prescriptions can be picked up curbside, lab work can be scheduled and referrals are still being made for the clinic’s patients. The clinic is located at 10714 Veterans Memorial Parkway in Lake Saint Louis (First Bank building).
Montgomery said they have been using telemedicine since before the pandemic due to the transportation challenges and work schedules of their patients. A lot of patients have a hard time finding transportation to the clinic, which is a continuing problem.
“Most of our patients work, they just don’t have insurance,” said Montgomery.
Montgomery said he feels that people in general are healthier than before the pandemic due to measures taken to avoid spreading the virus. He said the national fever rate is much less on average.
The staff and volunteers at Crossroads feel they are filling a huge gap in healthcare to uninsured and encourage people to send in an application if they are in need of medical care.
Clients must be between the ages of 18 and 64. They must not carry medical insurance or receive disability, Medicaid or Medicare. The clinic is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is supported by private donations. Visit crossroadsclinicvim.org for more information.
