No Woman's Health Care Left Behind

As the economy worsens, more Americans search for affordable health care and many are turning to free health clinics. The fourth Friday of each month, Candy Arentz, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians Surgery and Naghma Farooqi, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians Obstetrics and Gynecology, help run the Free Breast and Cervical Screening Clinic at the University Medical Center Breast Care Clinic.

“Patients are overly appreciative.  They just don’t believe we do this without charge,” Arentz said.  “They bring their sisters and mothers with them. We have entire communities that come out once someone hears about it.”

The clinic serves the uninsured and underinsured and is specifically meant for those who do not qualify for government programs, but who do not have private insurance.

“It’s really to fit all those women who have jobs or their husbands have jobs, and make too much for Medicaid and do not have insurance through their jobs,” Arentz said.

The clinic is possible with grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the YWCA.

“Most of my family would qualify for this program if they lived in West Texas. There are so many households that have an income, but cannot afford screening medical exams,” Arentz said. “I hope to find breast cancers early when they are treatable before it’s too late.”

Farooqi said this is a team effort with Texas Tech Physicians and the staff at the Southwest Cancer Center. Each person there is inspirational and wants to provide women with the best health care.

“Women’s health is my passion and interest. Not having insurance or being under insured should not prevent women from getting basic screenings. In this clinic no questions are asked and all patients are provided the same care by the same team,” Farooqi said. “We answer any health-related questions they have and educate them on the guidelines.”

Farooqi said she and Arentz enjoy working together and have been rotating surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology residents, hence educating them in skills needed to examine women.

For more information about the clinic, call (806) 775-8600.