VICKSBURG, Miss.- The city of Vicksburg is expecting a brand new clinic that will offer free medical care to city employees and their families.
Doors are set to open on November 1 for the city-sponsored health care facility, conveniently located across from Promise Hospital.
“Vicksburg is self insured, meaning we spend about $4 million dollars of our own money to insure all of our clients, which in this case is the city’s employees,”said Mayor George Flaggs Jr. “So what better way to provide healthcare but to extend medical care to employees and dependents.”
The healthcare provided at the clinic is completely free to employees and their family, no co-pay will be charged for service. Flaggs said the health care facility will have a nurse practitioner on on staff but two physicians will also be available to assist in case the matter requires that type of attention.
The clinic is designed for smaller medical needs like handling diabetes, help during an asthma attack, annual physicals, and other generally minor illnesses. However, employees are not forced to use the clinic, they can continue going to their primary care doctor as they wish.
“What this is going to do is reduce the number of employees who have to go to the ER. We had one employee who had to go to the ER 20 times in a year for asthma,”said Flaggs.
The reaction from residents and employees of Vicksburg has been positive so far according to Flaggs. He said this is a step forward in creating healthier living in the city.
“What this will do is allow us to manage our employees and help us give them the tools they need to live better and live healthier which will in turn create a better work force,”said Flaggs.
The clinic will be open Monday – Friday.
