Bayouclinic Inc

Founded by a National Health Service Corps Scholar (Dr. Regina M. Benjamin), the BayouClinic began serving Bayou La Batre and surrounding areas in 1990.  The clinic operated until Hurricane Georges caused it to close temporarily from 1998 to 2000 (although some patients were still seen in their homes).  In 2000, the rural health clinic re-opened as a non-profit 501(c)(3) and has continued to see patients since. In August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought a 25 foot storm surge to Bayou La Batre destroying the economy, homes, buildings, and the clinic’s facility.  The BayouClinic never stopped seeing patients throughout the crisis.  Because most of the residents had no livable homes, the BayouClinic staff went to the shelter to check on a few patients and before the end of the day, the BayouClinic staff had set up a make-shift clinic on the stage of the shelter.  The staff continued to see patients for free at the shelter seven days per week. About six weeks later, the mayor and county officials arranged for the clinic to operate out of a FEMA trailer that was set up behind the clinic’s old building.  With help from volunteers in the community the clinic was restored and was scheduled to reopen on January 2, 2006.  Unfortunately, in the late night/wee hours of New Years Eve, there was a fire and the building burned to the ground. The cause of the fire was never determined. The clinic opened as usual on Monday, but once again in the trailer. In October 2006, the staff moved into a small renovated house next door while the permanent building was completed.  In August, 2010 the staff moved into the new, beautiful clinic building.   

Aggressive fundraising efforts and federal funds have allowed for the building of a state of the art, paperless facility that meets all the new building codes and regulations. The building is 10 feet off of the ground, has an elevator, an automatic back up generator, and a patient education/community room that can seat 80 people.  This education room has a separate entrance, so as not to interfere with clinic operations.  It has  cutting edge technology with teleconferencing ability, and access to the kitchen for banquets.  The clinical area has eight exam rooms with a future capacity of twelve.  It includes a lab, an x-ray room, and a board room.  The waiting room has computer kiosks for patient use and patient portal to the EMR. The Electronic Medical Record system has been in use since January 2007, so staff is very comfortable with it in the new building.  In an attempt to incorporate the environment into health and wellbeing, a walking path surrounds the perimeter of the property.  Beyond the 8,000 square foot facility, there is 1,300 square feet of porches with plans to purchase rocking chairs. Underneath the building will is a concrete slab with a restroom.  This area can be used for outside activities such as exercise classes. We experienced major delays as the facility was due to be completed by the end of 2007; however we were able to begin operations in the new facility in August, 2010.

BayouClinic offers the full range of medical and dental care, and substance abuse and mental health services, either onsite or through long-established referral agreements.  In addition, case management and eligibility assistance are also provided onsite.  For those without health insurance, we offer a sliding fee schedule based upon Federal poverty guidelines.