History of River Valley Christian Clinic

River Valley Christian Clinic (RVCC) was begun at the end of 2006 because a handful of people had a vision for offering medical services to those who could not afford it. St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville had a medical clinic sitting empty in Dardanelle and when asked, agreed to let RVCC open for business in that location. A Board of Directors consisting of eleven members from Pope and Yell Counties was assembled to govern. RVCC opened to patients on January 11, 2007.

The mission of River Valley Christian Clinic is to provide health care (medical, dental and optical) and spiritual guidance to anyone in the River Valley who cannot afford to access traditional health care. Services are provided without regard to race, sex, age or religion. Patients are allowed to visit the clinic one time without being qualified. To qualify as a patient at RVCC, applicants must be uninsured, not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, and income must fall beneath 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. At present, dental patients with Medicaid and Medicare are accepted and we furnish glasses for Medicaid and Medicare patients with a prescription from their doctor.

The clinic is funded through individual, corporate and church donations as well as through grants. Since 2006 the clinic has received grants from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation, River Valley United Way, the Arkansas Community Association (Giving Tree), the Entergy Corporation, the Walton Foundation, the Blue and You Foundation, the Arkansas Department of Health and a private anonymous Foundation.

In August of 2021, we hired a Patient Advocate to help our patients in translating and office help. A part-time Nurse Practitioner was hired in March of 2009. In July 2012 a daytime pharmacist was added one day a week. In 2021 We added another nurse Practioner and another pharmacist to help manage our patient load. All the professionals and others who assist at the clinic are here on a voluntary basis. Teams of leaders help coordinate all of the volunteers. There are usually 40-60 volunteers at each clinic including, doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, x-ray technicians, lab technicians, medical records personnel, greeter/ runners, parking/security, child-care, interpreters, counselors, dental assistants, eye doctors, and optical assistants.

Clinics are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 am to 3 pm with our pharmacy also open at those times. We see, on average 140 to 180 patients per month. Dental Clinics are on the First and Third Thursday of every month. On the Third Thursday of each month, we have a Medical, Dental, and Optical clinic from 6 pm to 8:30 pm with our pharmacy open at that time as well.

Dental services began in January of 2007 and optical services were added in mid April of the same year.

In March 2008 a Diabetic Clinic was established. Diabetic patients receive wonderful training from a nutritionist about what foods to eat and not eat as well as information on the disease itself and the effects on the body. Free A1C blood tests (this is a test which tells the patient what their blood sugars are averaging over a three month period of time) are performed prior to clinic and are tracked for the patients quarterly.