Story at a glance
- Two new health clinics in Charlotte, N.C., aim to treat uninsured individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Funded by Michael Jordan, the first clinic has seen more than 12,000 appointments in its first year.
Legendary NBA player Michael Jordan has opened up a second medical clinic based out of Charlotte, N.C., with the goal of serving uninsured and underinsured communities amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
Jordan, who is chairman of the Charlotte-based NBA team the North Carolina Hornets, opened the new clinic this month in the North End community near Charlotte in partnership with Novant Health, a non-profit health care provider.
This follows the first clinic Jordan and Novant opened, the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic, in April. The first location transitioned into a respiratory assessment center during the coronavirus pandemic to help screen for infections.
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Novant Health says that the first location, in west Charlotte, saw more than 12,500 appointments and performed about 14,000 COVID-19 tests since opening last year.
Outside of pandemic-related screenings, the clinic saw more than 3,350 patients.
“We are thrilled the North End community of Charlotte will have access to the same comprehensive care that is transforming lives at the Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic in west Charlotte,” said Carl Armato, CEO and president of Novant Health, in a press release.
“The impact of the first clinic has been measurable and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is the importance of having accessible, safe and quality care in communities that need it most,” Armato said.
The new North End location will be a 6,800-square-foot clinic complete with patient rooms, X-rays and space for physical therapy, as well as other medical treatments.
Like most other states, North Carolina is experiencing an uptick in new coronavirus cases, although not as dramatically as states in the Midwest.
Charlotte, which sits in Mecklenburg County, has yet to see a peak in new cases similar to the record-highs it recorded over the summer, but still showcases an increase in new cases. Cumulatively, the county has seen 33,279 cases throughout the pandemic.
Jordan’s clinics are working to increase testing as well as education surrounding COVID-19 within Charlotte’s communities. Both of the Jordan and Novant medical clinics have been funded by a $7 million grant made by Jordan.
“When we came together to mark the first clinic’s opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later,” Jordan stated. “I’m so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during COVID-19. Our second clinic will provide critical services to improve the health and lives of more Charlotteans, which is so important to me and to Novant Health.”
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