The East Orlando Sun

Dr. Khaled Mohamed would see up to 50 patients a day, needing anything from vaccinations to emergency wound care, as a doctor in his native Guyana.

He worked at one of the many medical clinics built specifically for the country’s hundreds of thousands of sugar cane industry workers and their relatives. It was hard, seemingly endless work, but he did what he could to see as many people as possible because for these people, living in a very rural part of the country, he was all they had.

Now, decades after leaving his country, Mohamed is once again bringing health care to an area where doctors are nowhere to be found: Bithlo.

He’s the sole doctor at the new Community Health Centers clinic in Bithlo — the first medical establishment that far east in Orange County. Many of Mohamed’s patients have not seen a doctor in a long time and, like in Guyana, because of a lack of private and public transportation in Bithlo and Christmas, many of his patients walk or bike to see him. Since the clinic opened on Oct. 10, the clinic’s patients per day has doubled to an average of 15 to 18.

“I see a lot of chronic illness but they can’t get their meds,” Dr. Mohamed said of his patients. “They’ve been off of their critical medication for long periods of time. People who have had heart attacks couldn’t go to the doctor or get their meds. You say, ‘How can this be?’”

The clinic, a 1,300-square-foot double-wide trailer off of East Colonial Drive with three exam rooms, a laboratory and offices, handles everything a standard medical clinic provides, including physicals, blood work, immunizations, wound care, pap smears and STD testing. The clinic’s staff said many people are just coming in for a check up.

“They are coming in to establish care. It’s unique [to have so many people being proactive about their health] but I think that’s because there hasn’t been anything out here for so long,” said Ayanna O’Connor, CHC operations manager. “Plus it’s walking distance and they’ve been watching this building go up from their homes.”

Shawn Pate, who recently suffered six broken bones in his foot after being struck by a vehicle on the Florida Turnpike, said he plans to use the clinic for follow-up care.

“Bithlo needs to grow just like the rest of the area,” said the Bithlo resident.

CHC Vice President Jeff Boeman said their goal for their current building is to see about 20 patients a day. But since they’re already nearing that, it’s possible they could be overcapacity soon.

If the flow of patients rises or stays steady, the clinic plans to expand to a 10,000-square-foot facility, which will offer dental, pediatrics and possibly obstetrics in addition to primary care.

All are welcomed

The clinic operates on a sliding scale based on income so it welcomes the uninsured, the underinsured, Medicare and Medicaid and anyone else who needs treatment. O’Connor said they plan to start promoting their clinic in Wedgefield, a housing community tucked far back into rural east Orange County, near Christmas.

“We want to be your medical home,” O’Connor said. “We can see anyone.”

To ensure that every patient can see a doctor with only a day or two wait, CHC has an Open Access schedule, meaning they operate by appointment, but always leave several slots available throughout the day for walk-ins. Even with only four staff members, O’Connor said they are careful to return phone calls within 24 hours.

Mary Nierodzinski of Christmas said long waits is the reason she usually avoids health clinics.

“I fell while I was walking my dog once and waited for two hours bleeding at a walk-in clinic. It’s good to know this is there when we need it,” she said.

A need for dental, specialty care

Yadira Solando, CHC clinical manager, said one of the first things people ask when they talk to the community about the clinic is whether there’s dental.

“There’s a huge need for that. I think it’s because of access and education but also because of priorities. People are choosing between dental work and putting food on the table,” she said.

Dr. Mohamed said dental care is more critical to overall health than most people realize. Blood vessels in the mouth lead directly to the heart so infections that start in the mouth and are left untreated can enter the blood stream and travel to the heart.

When there is a need for specialty medical treatment, CHC refers those patients with limited health insurance to Orange County’s PCAN (Primary Care Access Network). Many of the people the clinic sees suffer from chronic illness such as hypertension and diabetes, Solando said.

Although they’re able to see children, Solando said they currently don’t have many child patients.

“They’re trickling in,” she said. “We are seeing more.”

Dr. Mohamed said it’s his vast experience — he’s been practicing since 1983 — that has kept him in clinics that accept the uninsured.

“It’s the need. There’s a need here. I think the real thing is the experience I have. I know I can take on the challenge here.”