A new lung clinic in Kissimmee will offer free services to patients dealing with bronchitis and asthma among other things.
Chris Rios has been dealing with shortness of breath ever since he could remember. To make matters worse, he can’t afford insurance.
“It’s something I’ve dealt with ever since I was a little kid,” Rios said.
Despite his asthma, Rios can now breathe a sigh of relief.
This is because Florida Hospital just opened a lung clinic in Kissimmee to provide free care and medications to people without insurance.
“What we were seeing at our other locations, patients from the Kissimmee area were driving a long distance to our other locations,” said Ed Fluker, administrative director of Respiratory Care of Florida Hospital. “And I would know that for every patient who managed to take a bus or a taxi or get a ride, there were a lot more patients that needed our help.”
Florida Hospital opened its first lung clinic in Apopka in 2013 and a second one in East Orlando last year. The Kissimmee clinic would be the third of its kind.
According to County Health Ranking, 27 percent of people under 65 are without health care.
“Last week here in Kissimmee, it was $27,000 worth of meds that we provided in just one evening,” said Fluker.
Florida Hospital has provided more than 900 uninsured patients with free outpatient care, medication, disease management and pulmonary rehabilitation.
If you add up the volunteer labor, donated medications and equipment used at these lung clinics, Florida Hospital says the clinics have a value of more than $4 million.
“For them to continue wanting to help patients out is one of the greatest gifts that you guys offer,” said Rios
Because of the growing need, the hospital is also planning to open a fourth lung clinic in Altamonte later this year.
To find out when a Florida Hospital lung clinic is open near your, call 407-889-1040.