17 years ago, Samaritan Health Center (SHC) began serving communities in Durham County, and has since become the place where low-income people who do not have health insurance or do not qualify for Medicaid can receive care. take care of your health for free.
This is the case of Adela Contreras Álvarez, who has been cared for at the center for a decade, where she has found comfort and belonging and has felt treated with love and consideration.
“The people who work there are very friendly, they are like a family. We are comfortable because they have good interpreters or understand Spanish,” Adela said.
Her patient story has been highlighted by Samaritan as part of their testimonials on their website.
Adela has used several of the center's services, from primary care to specialized exams such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and optometry.
“I have been treated by three primary care doctors, and they have all been very good,” the patient said.
Adela is one of many Hispanic patients who are treated at this health center, which is located at 3205 University Drive, Suite 107, in the city of Durham.
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Services they provide
Samaritan offers all primary medical services for both children and adults, as well as specialist doctors, as well as laboratory tests and ophthalmology where patients can obtain glasses and lenses for free. The only service that is not provided is dentistry.
- Care is provided for chronic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, and smoking cessation programs, among many others.
- Care of acute conditions such as: asthma, minor injuries, headaches, and others.
- Specialty clinics with in-person appointments, such as endocrinology and orthopedics.
- Laboratory tests, including tests or HIV testing.
- Prescription assistance programs for people who cannot afford their medications.
- Referral to specialists
- Ophthalmology and eyeglasses prescriptions
- In-person or telephone interpretation
- COVID-19, flu, and shingles vaccines
The SHC has five primary care physicians and specialists in different medical areas on its staff who rotate to the clinic during the week.
They also have several nurses and a coordinator for people who cannot afford medicines and who helps them with the paperwork to request financial assistance from hospitals to which they must be transferred.
It also has the collaboration of medical students who do internships and work as volunteers assisting with interpretation and other tasks.
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Attention in your language
Patients who speak other languages, such as SpanishThey have an interpreter service in person or by telephone, and the person who interviews people who arrive for the first time is Marjorie Nieto, who has been the patient counselor since August.
They receive new patients
Nieto commented that they have seen interesting changes in terms of who has access to health care, and that it is observed that there are many people arriving in the county who do not have health coverage.
"That's why we want to reach out to the community, because many Central American immigrants have arrived, and from other places who don't know where to go, we want them to know that they have all these services for free," Nieto told Enlace Latino NC.
Nieto said they serve approximately 700 patients, and about 60% of them are Hispanic.
“We have the funds to operate, and we have the capacity to admit new patients. We have our doors open to everyone, even those who live in other counties nearby, such as Raleigh,” she said.
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What should a new patient do?
The person who comes to the SHC for the first time can arrive with an appointment or without an appointment in the case of an emergency.
The new patient must be interviewed by Nieto, who as a patient navigator will review his or her information for the admission process.
"If the person came without an appointment, and the doctors have a space at that time, then they can attend to them the same day, or if it is not an emergency, within a period of three days, that is a great advantage," said the counselor.
Upon admission, the patient will undergo a physical examination, and if he or she suffers from any condition he or she may be referred to the specialist in charge. In addition, laboratory tests will be performed, all in the same visit.
What is asked of the new patient
When admitting a new patient, family income and a federal poverty level of less than 300% are taken into consideration. In addition, the patient is asked to show a letter of income from an employer, or a pay stub for one month of pay.
In the event that the person is unable to work and does not have Medicaid, as may be the case with elderly people, they are given the option of presenting a letter of support from a family member.
“We do not ask the support person for proof of income documents, unless we have to refer them to another clinic and they need to ask for financial assistance. We always assess the condition of the patient’s family,” he explained.
As for identity documents, you can present an official ID, a consular document, a passport, a driver's license, or the Faith ID Community Identification.
Make them feel welcomed
Nieto said that at SHC, “what we want is for the patient to feel at home. We are a Christian clinic, and that is why we hope that they feel welcomed, not only in relation to the medical treatment we provide, but also as a person.”
Nieto says there are many stories of patients who are grateful for the services and treatment they received. Another one is that of Erick Molina, who in 2016 was curious about his health and was not sure where to go and someone recommended Samaritan to him.
Since then, Erick has used a variety of services at the clinic, from blood pressure checks and lab tests to eye exams and medication assistance.
This year when Erick faced a major health event, he had the steadfast support system of Samaritan.
“Through hospitalizations and follow-up care, our healthcare team has been there for him, helping him feel, as he says, 'reborn' and renewed in his health journey,” Samaritan wrote on its website.
SHC Information
- Address: 3205 University Drive, Suite 107, Durham, NC 27707
- The bus line is 10/108. The clinic is next to Domino's Pizza.
- Phones:
- Current patients: 919-407-8226
- New patients: 919-407-8154 o 1-866-331-8301
- For appointments: appointments@samaritanhealthcenter.org
Opening hours:
- Monday: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Wednesday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
- Friday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Donation: SHC suggests a $20 donation with each visit.
For more information you can go to the website of Samaritan Health Center where you can select Spanish or English.
You can also follow their Facebook Page
The Samaritan Health Center has its Healthy Neighbor fundraising campaign, where donations of any amount of money can be made.
👉 If you need medical attention and don't know where to start, you can consult our guide on How to access health services in North Carolina, with or without health insurance.
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