Healthcare Group Offers Free Services To Low-Income Tulsans

A healthcare group is providing free medical services to Tulsans who truly need it.

With the healthcare debate heating up in Washington, there are many people right here in Tulsa with no insurance at all.

Many Tulsans without insurance rely on Good Samaritan Health Services for free healthcare.

Oriana Mantini says before she heard about Good Samaritan, she had no way of providing healthcare for her family.

"My priority is my daughter, so she doesn't have any insurance. So to know that they can help her with no charge," Mantini said. "I got really happy because at that moment I really needed some help. It was great to know that they offer this service with no charge at all."

Mantini is just one of 13 patients who visited "Big Sam" this week.

Nurse Coordinator Heather Carson says they serve about 200 people per week at all their locations.

"For most of them it's all they have. They don't have any other means for their health whatsoever," Carson said. "Most of them don't have the means for food or clothing."

"The only criteria we have is that they can't have insurance."

Carson says many of their patients are in critical shape by the time they come to Good Samaritan.

"Most of the patients we see have chronic ailments. We see a lot of diabetes, a lot of high blood pressures," Carson said. "By the time they come to us, a lot of them are really out of control."

She says they rely solely on private donations providing more than just medical care, but also clothes, food, and spiritual guidance to all their patients.

"It gives me a good feeling knowing that I'm helping them better themselves," Carson said.

There are 13 clinics total around the Tulsa area.

To find a location near you, visit www.goodsamaritanhealth.org.