The underserved in Little Rock now have a place where they can access affordable health care.
Dr. Lee and Lori Wilbur, members of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, began their ministry in 2018 with outreach events. Now, the cofounders of Divine Mercy Health Center have been operating their first physical location since December.
The brick-and-mortar clinic, located at 6221 Colonel Glenn Road, Suite B, has 13 full-time and part-time staff and medical personnel to help the most underserved in Arkansas.
In 2013, Lee, an emergency medical physician, and his wife, Lori, a physical therapist, relocated from Indiana to Arkansas and got active in their parish. Over time, their experiences in health care strengthened their faith-driven commitment to serve the needy.
“Central Arkansas faces significant health care challenges, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” Lee said. “Seventy-two percent of counties in Arkansas are rural, and 68 percent have Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“Arkansas ranks poorly in most health issues compared to the rest of the nation. Hard economic times make these challenges worse. Over 95 percent of our mobile medical mission patients are uninsured, and over 80 percent come from economically impoverished families. Over 90 percent of our patients lack a primary care physician. Even among our clinic patients, only about 30 percent have Medicare and Medicaid. That means that the population we serve consists of people who, for the most part, would really struggle to afford or access health care if we did not exist. These barriers make it very difficult for the marginalized to achieve their best health.”
“We feel called and have been taught by our faith to be the hands and feet of Christ,” Lori said. “There is so much suffering in our world, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual, and these are hard situations that can seem hopeless and overwhelming. But just because we can’t help or cure everyone, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something. So we do our part and trust in God to do the rest.”
The pandemic led the Wilburs to realize that they needed to meet the most vulnerable where they were at until they could work through the paperwork and responsibilities that come with starting a clinic.
The two partnered with churches in Little Rock to host mobile medical missions once a month throughout the city, such as St. Theresa Church and the Cathedral of St. Andrew. The effort caught the attention of pastor Mark DeYmaz at Mosaic Church, who offered the clinic a suite on the church property.
The Wilburs say the uniqueness of their medical mission lies in its accessibility and affordability.
“I often refer to it as the 10 Fitness of medicine,” Lee said. “We’ve got different membership levels and opportunities available for patients.”
- If a patient has insurance, he or she can receive a primary care visit, blood tests, a mental health evaluation and care coordination for the cost of their co-pay.
- For those without insurance, they can receive the same services, except the mental health evaluation, for $75. Patients can also arrange a mental health evaluation appointment for $75.
- A membership is available for $30 per month, or $300 per year, where the patient can receive six primary care visits a year, four sets of blood tests a year, a mental health evaluation and a care coordination plan.
People can also sponsor patients by buying memberships anonymously.
“Since seeing our first patient on Dec. 12, we’ve continued to grow tremendously,” Lori said. “In these few months, we have seen over 350 individuals and are grateful to all those who have entrusted us with their care.”
Deacon Don Greenway, a retired gastroenterologist who serves at Christ the King Church, volunteers at DMHC.
“I assist Lee as a volunteer doctor at both the permanent clinic and the free rotating clinics at the churches,” he wrote in a letter sent to Catholics in Central Arkansas, updating them on progress at the clinic. “Our dream and plan is to one day spread this model of care for the poor throughout the state of Arkansas. The clinic is a hybrid model. Patients are asked to pay a small fee for care as we become their ‘family physicians’ at a very low cost. Rest assured that no one is turned away, as we see everyone who enters the clinic.”
Even with a permanent location, the staff and volunteers continue to work weekends to operate one-day outreach events, partnering with Catholic and non-Catholic churches in Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Medical missions could expand into Faulkner County in the next 12 to 18 months.
“Our Medical Missions Program serves 40-60 individuals per mission and operates seven-10 missions annually, providing a wide range of medical, mental health and addiction services,” she said. “Our efforts have led to 20 medical missions, 550-plus exercise classes and 90-plus cancer screenings, as well as donations of thousands of pounds of healthy food to families in need.”
Betty Jo King, a parishioner at Christ the King Church and volunteer coordinator with DMHC, said, “It’s exciting to see the growth of the free Medical Mission Days, which are hosted by churches. In 2024, we offered six medical missions at three locations, and we are on track to offer nine medical missions in 2025 to five different churches.”
The Wilburs said they hope to open more clinics in the future and spread the medical ministry around the state.
Staffers and volunteers of DMHC gathered at Christ the King Church April 27 to pray and celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday.
Neal Reeves, a parishioner at Christ the King Church, a diaconate candidate and nursing professor, said, “From the beginning, Lee Wilbur’s vision for DMHC has been to reach the marginalized and forgotten in society in our modern health care model, and that was realized in the mission outreaches. Since the clinic has opened, these individuals, who so badly need consistent health care, have come to DMHC because they know us or heard about us and know we live out the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40… Pope Francis was a great role model for all of us on the importance of prioritizing the needs of the poor and marginalized, and we are doing our part right here in Little Rock.”
The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit divinemercyhealthcenter.org.
