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Local experts discuss women's health: Closure of clinics increases work load on remaining providers
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
While the battle over state funding for Planned Parenthood and the future of the Women's Health Program will be decided in a courtroom, the impacts of the judge's decision could be felt in Plano and other Collin County cities.
If the state wins its appeal, Planned Parenthood clinics in Plano and McKinney could shut their doors permanently. The clinics don't offer abortion services, but do offer general women's health care, birth control and testing for pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
Two other clinics, the McKinney Family Planning Center and a clinic operated by Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, which was located in east Plano, have also closed recently, increasing the number of women who must now seek treatment at the remaining locations.
"Because of all the other women's clinics closing down, we are planning on opening a women's wellness clinic one Saturday a month," said John Ernst, executive director of the Collin County Adult Clinic. "We have an OB-GYN who is putting together the policies and procedures. We will do breast exams and general wellness checks, but won't have treatment for pregnant women."
The Collin County Adult Clinic, which is funded solely through donations and offers free medical services to indigent adults, operates two clinics in Plano, one on the east side at 2520 K Ave., which opened in 2005, and a newer location on the west side at 4100 W. 15th Street. The original location is open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, while the newer west side location is open Wednesday evenings and one Saturday a month. The clinics are by appointment only. If the women's clinic becomes a reality, it will be held one Saturday a month at the west Plano location.
Ernst said the center is in the process of applying for federal funding, which would allow it to expand its services and treat more patients. It currently offers treatment to 120-150 adults per month, and has partnerships with other healthcare providers to offer services that are outside of its current capabilities.
One of these partners is Texas Health Presbyterian Plano, which offers low-cost screenings and diagnostic mammograms to qualifying women. Jennifer Erickson, the hospital's spokeswoman, said the program helped 64 women in 2011 and another 12 in the first quarter of 2012. Erickson said the hospital also supports Project Access Collin County, which helps coordinate care for indigent residents.
Erickson said the hospital doesn't have any figures on what the local impact would be if the Planned Parenthood clinics were closed, but said it would be up to all local providers to pick up the slack.
"Caring for the indigent should be a shared responsibility of all of the health care providers in Collin County, and Project Access is a good mechanism for making that happen," she said. "Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano employees also work closely with individuals in the community running other programs, such as Frisco Cares and the Collin County Adult Clinic. We actively support the organizations with resources and with funding and they participate in our Community Health Council."
The hospital also sponsors a Women's Health Connection lecture series, which is free and is held on the second Tuesday of each month. She said the topics vary, but all are targeted to women's healthcare needs.
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