Issue 8 2020

12 Acquisition International - Issue 8 2020 Major Success for Medical Clinic Bad health can quickly spiral out of control. For those who are uninsured, a small problem can quickly become something much more serious, in more ways than just health. The team at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic has taken action, making a difference that is unparalleled in their community. Featured as one of this year’s Global Excellence Awards winners with the well-earned title of Most Outstanding Medical Clinic and CEO 2020 in North Carolina, we turn our attention to this incredible organization to find out more. he story of Lake Norman Community Health Clinic goes back over twenty years when Co-Founder and CEO, April Cook wanted to make a difference in the community. With the founding mission to make healthcare available to the uninsured, Cook set about making it happen. With a determined and dedicated team around her, the non-profit has been able to provide free healthcare creating an incredible impact within the community at large. Led by Cook since the beginning, Lake Norman Community Health Clinic now boasts an experienced team of dedicated staff and volunteers. From humble beginnings at the back of a Hispanic grocery store, now the organization has its own standalone property in the heart of the community. Everything about Lake Norman Community Health Clinic has been designed to make access to healthcare as easy as possible. The team is all united in this aim. They believe that healthcare is not a privilege, but a right that brings enormous benefit to the community. By bringing together multiple stakeholders, April and her team were able to provide $3,000,000 of medical care on an operating budget of less than $500,000. Annually, the clinic provides over 7000 appointments made up of primary care, behavioral health, and specialty care for 1500 unduplicated patients. Over the past 20 years, more than 83,000 appointments have been provided for those struggling to find access to healthcare. Passion for compassion has been key to making a difference in this sector, and the staff at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic know that the services they provide go far beyond the provision of healthcare. Often, they are engaged with changing the narrative of someone’s life, whether living in poverty, having difficulty with change, or any of the other countless barriers that impact daily life. This includes societal limitations like affordable housing, food insecurities, and poor wages, with the aim being to reduce multi-generational poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has put strain on every aspect of the health industry, and the team at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic have been no exception. With an estimated 500,000 newly uninsured individuals in the state due to “Stay at Home” orders designed to lower the impact of the virus, there is a need not only to adapt, but to increase the size of the facility in order to accommodate the demand for services. It is the tenacious leadership of Cook that has allowed the clinic to be a crucial factor in flattening the curve and treating patients who struggle getting access to healthcare. One of the ways in which she has enabled the organization to function, and even thrive, during this challenging T Jun20257 period, has been through the adoption of telehealth. Through virtual visits, the clinic has allowed the opportunity to recommence care and continue being an important lifeline during the crisis. Innovation is something that the team at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic is used to, with Cook’s approach highly encouraging it. It is what keeps the clinic moving forward. As a result, Lake Norman Community Health Clinic has become more than a healthcare provider. Determined to serve as a hub for those in need, it has grown into an organization that is helping its community to address underlying causes of poor health as much as provide immediate treatment. Those who hope for a legacy are often left unsatisfied, but those who want to help, find their works rewarded. Those who are most in need of support are those who April Cook and the impressive team at Lake Norman Community Health Clinic are determined to assist. There will always be work to do, but the secret of their success is finding new and exciting ways to do it. Contact: April Cook Web Address: www.LNCHC.org