A free health clinic in the community is looking to help those in need of medical care.

The Doctor Garabed A. Fattal Community Clinic provides free health care for people in the community that do not have health insurance.

It operates once a week inside the Broome County Health Department on Front Street in Binghamton.

The primary care facility can fill prescriptions on site for patients in need of medication and if somebody requires x-rays or lab work, the clinic has an arrangement to send those patients to any UHS location free of charge.

The clinic also helps teach 3rd year medical students from Upstate Medical Center along with pharmacy and nursing students from Binghamton University.

One of the clinic’s Preceptors, Doctor Domenico Prato, says the clinic is important for multiple reasons. “It’s very stressful when you don’t have insurance and you have no place to turn. This place is open for people and it eliminates a lot of stress. It’s a good learning experience. Not only a learning experience for the students but also for us when we teach.”

Anybody that does not have health insurance is able to utilize the free clinic.

Prato says following the passage of the affordable care act they have seen less patients so they are now only open on Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30.

He said when Doctor Fattal started the clinic 22 years ago his dream was that everyone would be insured so nobody would have to utilize the clinic.