Medical clinics expanding care to needy

AP/Yahoo, December 27, 2007

Despite an increasing number of free medical clinics, treatment is hard for the needy to track down. That's especially true for the nation's top health problems--high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol--that require ongoing care even when the person feels no symptoms if they're to avoid heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and amputations. Clinics require a special trip, a long wait, perhaps a baby sitter, annoyances for the well-to-do but huge obstacles for someone who must take three buses to reach the doctor or who loses a day of pay for the time off.