Lake County Free Clinic (LCFC) Executive Director Andrea Londono-Shishehbor, DDS, and CHN Executive Director Jason Koma were featured guests on The Sound of Ideas on Aug. 6. The "Sound of Ideas" is Ideastream Public Media's weekday morning news and information program focusing on Northeast Ohio. 

During the segment, which begins at about the 29:00 mark of the video, Londono-Shishehbor and Koma called attention to the critical role that free clinics and charitable providers play in delivering healthcare to the uninsured or underinsured Ohioans and that they are an essential part of the healthcare system in Ohio. During the interview, an LCFC patient shared her experience of receiving care from a free clinic. She expressed that LCFC was a vital resource and a huge turning point during a difficult time. 

Londono-Shishehbor and Koma both noted how this patient’s story of a hardworking Ohioan unable to afford health insurance is all too common in the state. That is why, as Koma detailed, CHN provided nearly 650,000 healthcare services valued at more than $200M to those in need in 2023 all for free or little to no cost for those individuals. The guests explained the need for free healthcare, and how Ohio's network of free and charitable providers alleviates the burden of not knowing where to go when you need necessary medical services. Again, check out the story here.