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Lake Area Free Clinic awarded Gold Seal of Excellence
Waukesha Freeman Staff
February 8, 2025
OCONOMOWOC — The Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics awarded its Gold Seal of Excellence to the Lake Area Free Clinic.
In 2024, the LAFC was awarded the WAFCC Gold Seal of Excellence for the second time by meeting all the required evidence. "This achievement was a cumulation of countless hours of effort on the part of LAFC staff, VISTA workers, and volunteers," according to a news release.
"The Goal Seal of Excellence from WAFCC reinforces what we already know: that LAFC provides the highest level of quality and comprehensive care to our patients. We are so excited to share this award with all of our volunteers who have made this possible," said Anna Pludeman, LAFC medical clinic manager.
According to a news release, the mission of the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics is to support, strengthen and advocate for free and charitable clinics, the patients they serve, and the communities with whom they partner. The WAFCC Standards of Excellence were created to promote best policies, practices, and procedures for free and charitable clinics. They offer measurable guidelines to ensure that clinics and their patients are receiving the highest level of care.
The LAFC, located in Oconomowoc, has been serving low-income residents of Waukesha County since 2001. The clinic offers free medical services to low-income, uninsured adults and reduced-fee dental services to low-income adults with Medicaid or who are uninsured.
100,000th Patient Visit
TMJ4
Doctors at free clinic in Waukesha County to see 100,000th patient visit this month
TMJ4
September 17, 2024
By Kaylee Staral
Click link to the TMJ4 Article and News Story
OCONOMOWOC — A Waukesha nonprofit is celebrating a momentous milestone this month in its mission to improve the overall health of people in need.
Twenty-three years after opening, the Lake Area Free Clinic will see its 100,000th patient visit.
“It makes us feel that we’ve really done our job, not that there isn’t more to be done, but if you’re in the community, you live in Waukesha County, you’re low-income, and you don’t have insurance, there’s a place you can go to get help,” Dr. Peter Geiss told TMJ4. Geiss is an internist at the facility and has worked there for 17 years.
Funded solely by donations and community grants, the clinic serves uninsured adult residents of Waukesha County whose income is below 250% of the federal poverty level.
“We estimate there are between 16,000 and 18,000 people who don’t have access to adequate healthcare, and those are the people we see,” Geiss explained.
Dr. Peter Geiss has been a provider at the Lake Area Free Clinic in Oconomowoc for 17 years. This month, the nonprofit clinic will have its 100,000 patient visit.
“It makes us feel that we’ve really done our job. Not that the work is done, but if you’re in the community, you live in Waukesha County, and you don’t have insurance, there’s a place you can go to get help.”
“Seventy percent of our patients work, but they are the working poor. They have low incomes and no benefits.”
That’s where the clinic steps in, offering services such as primary care, specialties, and insurance enrollment assistance. It also partners with ProHealth Care and Aurora Health Care for labs and imaging.
“I couldn’t even tell you how many offices I called in Waukesha County,” Vicki Auckutt, an Oconomowoc resident, shared.
“Not a lot of people have taken my insurance since I retired. I found these guys, and it’s like a match,” Auckutt said on her way back from a dental cleaning.
The clinic opened in 2001 after a group of emergency room doctors at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital saw many patients using the ER for medical care because they had no insurance.
“It is shocking because Waukesha is the second or third wealthiest county, but we still have a huge population that can’t access care,” Geiss said.
In the first year, the clinic saw just 100 patients.
Since opening, it has served more than 9,000 people, even adding a free dental clinic in 2017.
Along with seven full-time staff members, there are more than 200 volunteers who have provided thousands of hours of service to keep the clinic going.
“They’re just wonderful people when you can’t find anyone else to go to. I’m very grateful to have this place,” Auckutt said with a smile.
Lake Area Free Clinic is a nonprofit. Its 2024 budget for expenses is $2.1 million, a number Geiss said they need help to reach.
The clinic is open Tuesday and Thursday evenings by appointment only.
For more information or to support the clinic, visit their website.