Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic to reopen as Lafayette General Healthcare Clinic

Clinic will be an off-campus extension of University Hospital & Clinics (UHC) primary care

LAFAYETTE - On Thursday, November 21, leaders from Lafayette General Health and Lafayette General Foundation announced at their annual gala that all proceeds from the night’s event would go toward renovating the former Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic in order to reopen it as the Lafayette General Healthcare Clinic. More than half a million dollars has already been raised toward the $1 million goal, and construction is scheduled to begin early next year.

When Louisiana expanded Medicaid in 2016, the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic lost its patient population overnight. With more of Louisianans insured, there was no longer a need for a free clinic. It was a good problem to have. In order to qualify for services at LCHCC, one had to be without commercial insurance, Medicaid or Medicare. After 25 years of serving the working uninsured, the clinic shut its doors in September of 2016.

On, November 7, 2016, the LCHCC board of directors donated the real estate and property assets to the Lafayette General Foundation. Since that time, the Foundation, along with the Lafayette General Health system, have been doing due diligence to determine the best use of the asset.

“In the most recent Community Health Needs Assessment, the area where the clinic is located was identified as the area with the greatest need for primary care,” said Nick Gachassin, former president of the LCHCC board of directors. “This clinic will serve the Downtown, Port Rico and Freetown areas of town that have been sorely lacking healthcare resources.”

With the Medicaid expansion came an increased patient population at University Hospital & Clinics (UHC), one of the state’s safety net hospitals. UHC primary care providers (PCP) are at capacity and it can take months for those on the waiting list to get an appointment with a PCP at UHC.

“The Lafayette General Healthcare Clinic will reopen with two to four clinicians, providing access to primary care to an additional 10,000 – 15,000 Acadiana residents,” said University Hospital & Clinics CEO Katie Hebert. “When it opens, the clinic will be well-appointed with the equipment of a modern-day health center.”

Learn more about the Lafayette General Healthcare Clinic by watching this video.