As doctor leaves, Clover center closes medical clinic

Clover Area Assistance Center says goodbye to a dedicated doctor and closes its medical clinic.

“There are two other medical clinics serving York County and Clover School District, and we see no reason to duplicate the services that exist,” said Karen van Vierssen, CAAC executive director.

Dr. Mark Bechtel of CaroMont Family Medicine in Lake Wylie has accepted an urgent care position in Gastonia. This means he will no longer serve CAAC’s Medical Clinic where Bechtel has volunteered for more than 10 years providing free medical clinics for uninsured adults.

CAAC is now partnering with Affinity Health and York County Free Clinic to ensure CAAC Medical Clinic patients have a smooth transition and access to continued medical care.

“Collaboration with existing service providers is the best way to maximize local resources and we will not let our clients go without care,” van Vierssen said.

Affinity Health Center began providing medical care to adults at a satellite site in Clover earlier this year at 300 Clinton Ave. Affinity Health is open daily serving the uninsured, insured and those on Medicaid using a sliding fee scale.

York County Free Clinic in Rock Hill provides the same care CAAC provided, in addition to other specialty care, all at no cost to qualifying adults.

CAAC presented Bechtel with a farewell gift, a crystal clock inscribed “For your dedicated years of selflessly providing care to those in need in our community. With gratitude beyond words from Clover Area Assistance Center.”

Twice a month, Bechtel would spend an evening seeing seven returning patients and up to two new patients. Although he handled many issues and ailments, most of the clinic patients were dealing with chronic health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

“Mark was more than a volunteer to our clients. He genuinely cared and had compassion for every single person, and all our clients realized that,” van Vierssen said.

First Baptist Church in Clover has provided space for the medical clinic and funding to cover lab report costs.

“This was a true community effort for many years,” van Vierssen said.

CAAC at 1130 S.C. 55 E. is a nonprofit serving those in need within the Clover School District with food, financial and basic needs assistance. The center’s Full Choice Pantry is the largest food pantry serving Clover and Lake Wylie. For more information, call 803-222-4837 or visit cloverareaassistance.org.

This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 3:13 PM with the headline "As doctor leaves, Clover center closes medical clinic."