Bakersville United Methodist Church

With five physicians in its group, the Bakersville Community Medical Clinic is the largest practice in a five-county area and one of the area's largest employers. In 2005 its budget reached $1,300,000.00 for the first time, and since becoming computerized in 1985, the Clinic has entered more than 30,500 patients into its system. The staff has averaged about 1,800 patient visits each month. Although the Clinic began with state and other grants, it's community-based Board of Directors set self-sufficiency as a top goal from the beginning and still aimed to maintain good service and serve all surrounding residents. Currently, the patient mix at Bakersville is about one-third Medicaid, 18 percent Medicare, and the remainder self-pay and third-party insured. The clinic offers residents with modest incomes to apply for a structured sliding fee scale and helps them keep with up their medical bills. The strength of Blue Ridge Regional Hopsital also is key to the success of the Clinic. About 20 percent of the Clinic's revenue comes from inpatient care, and the high quality of the hospital enhances the Clinic staff's practice. Overall, the Clinic's administrative and clinical goals remain constant: provide good service, price services at a reasonable cost, and to be paid for services rendered.