Page 6
April 2 - 15, 2021
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| HEALTH CARE |
Cape Fear Clinic rises to occasion BY SCOTT NUNN ape Fear Clinic was already in for an eventful 2021. As with most everything, however, the pandemic meant a change of plans for the medical clinic, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year. It’s a milestone for the unique provider, founded in 1991 through the efforts of three physicians who were members of St. Mary Catholic Church. In its early years, the then-Tileston Health Clinic operated out of the namesake former public-school building, which was owned by the church. In 2007, the clinic moved to 1605 Doctors Circle (near New Hanover Regional Medical Center), and in 2011 it became Cape Fear Clinic. “A lot of our [anniversary] plans were derailed because of COVID,” said John Devaney, the clinic’s CEO, adding that all the events were important fundraisers. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is funded by foundations, grants and individuals, along with reimbursements from Medicaid.
C
PHOTO BY CECE NUNN
Check up: Cape Fear Clinic, a charitable clinic with on-site medical, pharmacy and mental health services, marks its 30th anniversary this year.
“Hopefully, as we go into the fall, things will be better, and we’ll be able to hold some celebratory events,” he said. As it prepared to mark 30 years
of already-ambitious service, COVID-19 abruptly presented the clinic with its biggest challenge ever: providing uninterrupted care for 2,000 patients, the majority of whom
have chronic health conditions that make them especially vulnerable to the virus. In the early days of the pandemic, as much of Wilmington essentially was shutting down, the clinic’s leadership knew it had to stay open. Closing was “out of the question,” Devaney said. “We are the bottom of the safety net for our community. And so if we were not here for our patients, their only option would be the emergency departments.” (Many EDs were strained by preparing for COVID patients and the need to maintain social-distancing for others.) “Our goal, at the truest level, is to keep our patients out of the emergency rooms,” Devaney said. Prior to the pandemic, the clinic occasionally used phone calls to check on patients. But, as with many healthcare providers, advanced telemedicine was new territory. With the help of the N.C. Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, Cape Fear added Updox, a HIPPA-approved
