Answering the Call to Serve

The Hope Clinic: History at a Glance

After 30 years of practicing internal medicine in Gwinnett County, Dr. William Martin was seeing a trend he couldn't ignore – an ever-growing number of needy patients falling through the cracks of the medical system.

He frequently saw patients get denied access to medical care because of their inability to pay or because their diagnoses left them uninsurable. Not only did this often result in personal, medical and economic tragedy for the patient and his or her family, it created an additional burden on existing ER facilities and ultimately, the entire community.

Dr. Martin answered the call not only with a clinic that would provide healthcare for the community, but with an innovative and compassionate solution that benefits those who need it most.

On March 29, 2002, Dr. Martin founded the Hope Clinic, providing an affordable alternative to the hospital emergency room for the primary care medical needs of the uninsured in Gwinnett County. In the process, he closed his private practice, only to find that virtually all of his patients and employees wanted to make the transition with him.

Dr. Martin and the Hope Clinic team of providers specialize in internal medicine and chronic care diagnosis. He works closely with Gwinnett County's major medical facilities and local doctors. The Hope Clinic partners with Gwinnett Medical Center as the official source of care for patients who come to the GMC Emergency Room and still require continued care when they are released from the hospital. The Hope Clinic has evolved to become a vital part of a safety net for the uninsured and supplies over half of the available charitable primary care capacity in Gwinnett County.

Always looking towards the future, the Hope Clinic is now planning to expand its practice to care for more of the needy in Gwinnett County. The Hope Clinic's Board of Directors launched an investment campaign, the Invest in Hope Campaign, to acquire $4 million from foundations, corporations, small businesses and individuals to purchase and renovate a permanent health center, recruit additional providers, purchase new equipment, and implement wellness and prevention programs for patients. Click here to learn more about our Invest in Hope Campaign and how you can make a contribution.