David Regnier, MD, a family practice doctor with IU Health Arnett Family Medicine in Frankfort, volunteers regularly at the Open Door.

Situated a stone’s throw south of the IU Health Frankfort Hospital, the Open Door Clinic is an unassuming, single story limestone building making a huge impact in Clinton County.

Funded in part by IU Health, Open Door provides free primary care services to adults and children in Clinton County who are uninsured, underinsured or reside in a low-income household—individuals who might otherwise have little or no access to even the most basic healthcare.

“These are people who would otherwise ‘fall through the cracks’ in healthcare,” explains David Regnier, MD, a family practice doctor with IU Health Arnett Family Medicine in Frankfort who volunteers regularly at the Open Door. “We want those people—our neighbors—to know: We are here for you.”

Regnier has volunteered at the clinic since 2004, after a nurse on his team at the Frankfort family medicine practice challenged him to consider doing so. He hasn’t looked back since.

Staffed with a combination of full-time team members and a number of volunteers, including several from IU Health like Regnier, Open Door serves an average of 60-70 patients each week, providing dignified medical care to the community through more than 4,000 visits to the clinic each year.

In addition to primary care services—“lots of diabetes management and women’s healthcare,” shares Regnier—the clinic also provides free medication assistance and management, and IU Health provides lab services at no cost. Because Clinton County has a large Hispanic population, Open Door also provides Spanish-language translation services.

Even at the height of the pandemic, knowing how critical their services are for their patients, the Open Door team found creative ways to provide services, going so far as to meet patients in the parking lot at their car to provide care one-on-one in a safe environment.

“If all physicians and providers took the time to get involved with organizations like this, it would change a lot in healthcare,” shares Regnier, reflecting on his nearly two decades at Open Door. “We make a significant difference for our community. From basic nuts and bolts medicine to occasionally diagnosing advanced stage disease in individuals, by providing them quality care and treatment, we improve their quality of life drastically.”

Sharon Hayden, RN, director of Open Door, who has been with the clinic for more than 25 years, agrees. “The best part of being on this team is being able to serve our community, some of whom have been coming here as long as I’ve been here. The Open Door is truly a lifeline for some of Clinton County’s most underserved residents.”

Each year, IU Health team members like Regnier give back to their communities by volunteering more than 10,000 hours of their time and talent through the IU Health Serves program to improve the lives of others.

“I am proud and grateful that IU Health supports the Open Door Clinic financially and that I am empowered to represent IU Health while giving some of my time to these deserving residents of our community,” shares Regnier. “It’s important for us as an organization to find ways to increase access to healthcare for all, including through the support of organizations like Open Door.”

Open Door Clinic

2 E. White St.

Frankfort, IN 46041

Monday – Wednesday: 11 am – 4:30 pm

Friday: 9 am – noon

For an appointment, call 765.654.9544