Grace medical center serves poor & needy in Orlando

Nov 5, 2009
By DAVID ETTINGER

Marvin Hardy (left) and Rick Fletcher (right) Courtesy photo

ORLANDO (FBW)—Healthcare reform is a prime topic, but where the vast majority of people are only talking about it, longtime First Baptist Church in Orlando members Marvin Hardy and Rick Fletcher are doing something about it.

“In Luke 10:36 and 37, in the story about the Good Samaritan, the Bible says: ‘Which of these three do you think was the good neighbor to the one who fell into the hands of the robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy.”’ Jesus then told him to go and do likewise,” Hardy said. “As an organization, we firmly believe we receive God’s mercy every day and that we are called to extend mercy to other people.”

And this is what Hardy and Fletcher are doing with the creation of the Grace Medical Home. The facility, located in downtown Orlando, is a Christ-centered medical practice where Central Florida’s uninsured, low-income individuals can receive quality healthcare.

“We will be serving those who are not only uninsured, but earn less than twice the federal poverty line,” Hardy said. “Grace Medical is a place we hope will reflect the heart and character of Christ.”

Fletcher is a pediatrician at Interlachen Pediatrics in northeast Orlando. He practiced law for 25 years and was instrumental in the 1986 founding of the First Life Center For Pregnancy located on the First Baptist Orlando campus. He is serving as a member of the board of Grace Medical Home.

Besides offering physical exams, sick visits, referrals, health screenings, vaccinations, x-rays and a medication dispensary, the facility will also give patients what Hardy calls “continuity.”

“We want to be a ‘medical home’ for our people,” Fletcher said. “There is a large group of people who have no [medical] place to turn. Nationwide, only 16 percent of the uninsured have a medical home. A medical home is a hub, or home base, where a patient is known, medical records are kept, and where there is continuity of care. This is crucial because the population we are trying to serve consists of those people who are not going to the doctor. They go to the emergency room or a night clinic and are seeing a different doctor every time. As Christians, we don’t feel it’s right that people created in God’s image are not receiving the same level of healthcare as others with more means.”

To date, it has not yet been determined what kind of fees patients will have to pay, if any, but Fletcher said payment will be minimal, possibly as low as $5 per visit. The issue, however, is still under discussion.

The funding for Grace Medical Home comes from several sources.

“We are being supported by churches, individuals, foundations and grants, among others,” Fletcher said. “Both hospitals—Orlando Health and Florida Hospital—have been unbelievably helpful with in-kind gifts.”

For both men, the scheduled opening of Grace Medical in late 2009 is the fulfillment of a dream—especially for Hardy.

“It actually goes all the way back to when I received Christ when I was in the tenth grade,” he said. “I remember walking out of church, looking up to the sky and saying, ‘God, I can’t believe you love me. I will love you back.’ That started a great process for me.”

The process continued after Hardy graduated from high school and enrolled at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.

“While there, I heard the famous quote, ‘May my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God,’ ” Hardy said. “That became my prayer and helped lead me into medicine and to medical practices that helped the poor.”

Following medical school and residency at the University of Alabama, Hardy eventually landed his position at Interlachen Pediatrics. And though loving his work at the large medical facility, his heart for the needy kept intensifying.

“I just could never get it out of my mind that there were people created in the image of God who were not getting the healthcare that others are receiving,” he said. “It is just not right to leave a group of people behind. No matter what I did, I could never shake that thought. I could never forget it.”

Hardy said knew he had to do something about his ever-growing conviction.

“About four years ago, I said to my wife, ‘We need to explore this.’”

Hardy began to look nationwide at other Christ-centered medical facilities that helped the poor.

“After visiting several, I knew we had to have a facility like those in Orlando.”

Having determined his course of action, Hardy began to meet with people in the city and county as well as those in the medical profession.

“Eventually, I found that there were many people—such as Rick Fletcher and others on our board—whom God had convicted in the same way He had convicted me,” Hardy said. “Believe me, this is not about me. It’s about doing what is right, about the Body of Christ coming together and helping the people who are hurting.”

In time, Hardy was able to recruit a board of 16 people, including doctors, a CPA, business people, attorneys, children’s workers, a fund-raiser, and several in the healthcare profession.

“God brought together a group of people with Christ-centered hearts and lives who share the same vision,” Fletcher said. “It’s a very similar experience to what we had when we began the Pregnancy Center.”

Once everything was in place, one of the main objectives was to find a facility. “A board member who was Chairman of the Orlando Health Volunteer Board would come to the parking lot and pray for this particular building [which had previously housed two medical practices],” Fletcher said. “She just felt there was something special about this facility. Two months later, the building became available and friends of Grace Medical purchased it—and she had no idea we were pursuing it.”

The 5,500-square-foot facility has 12 examination rooms, a lab, a treatment room and an x-ray room. It is also just a few blocks from the Orlando Health campus, has two bus lines that serve it and a spacious parking lot. On staff are five full-time medical personnel—three doctors and two nurse practitioners. Marvin expects to add to the staff, but will also be supplementing the full-timers with volunteer physicians and nurses.

Additionally, there is vacant property next door that figures into Grace Medical’s future plans.

“Marvin’s vision is to eventually begin a dental, counseling and wellness center for the poor,” Fletcher said.

“We will grow as the Lord allows us,” Hardy added. Hardy and Fletcher are also looking for volunteer help. Grace Medical Home has numerous positions for Central Floridians to fill.

“First, we need people to pray for us that we will do what God wants us to do,” Hardy said. “Second, if you believe God is leading you to volunteer, then we can use you.”

Areas of service include: doctors, nurses, receptionists, intake coordinators (those who determine if a patient qualifies), people to run the medication dispensary, educators, counselors, housekeepers, landscapers, and just about anything else you can think of to do.

And, of course, Hardy said, there is always the need for funds.

“The only way we can exist is if people give. All gifts—large or small—are welcome. You can give a one-time gift or partner with us monthly. And, one other way you can help is to help spread the word about us. We need people to know who we are and what we do.”

So, after years of planning and praying, Grace Medical Home is now a reality. Hardy doesn’t know where the ministry will end up, but he is thrilled with what the Lord has done so far.

“One thing I’ve learned in this process is how little faith I have,” he said. “God is so big and so powerful and yet, in my daily life, I’m amazed by how much I don’t trust Him. I have also learned that God works in the details of our lives. I am barely coming to grasp that truth. We have seen Him provide in so many small ways that only He can do. It’s been an incredible experience.”

Learn more by visiting www.Gracemedicalhome.org.

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