WHITE PINE, Tenn. — One in seven Americans utilizes a Federally Qualified Community Health Center for their necessary healthcare services, according to the medical director for Rural Medical Services, which provides care for East Tennesseans in Cocke and Jefferson counties.
Dr. Larry Mathers said the clinics help reduce barriers to care that some patients in rural communities face, and earlier in May, RMS opened its seventh FQCH clinic in White Pine.
“In rural areas, a lot of patients have difficulty accessing care because of a lack of insurance or lack of finances,” he said. “Practices like ours are set up to help people gain access to a broad spectrum of primary care services. We’re able to provide quality healthcare at very low cost, and help people live healthier lives close to home.”…