Rockdale residents hit by hard times and without health insurance will soon have another place to turn to for their basic health care and dental needs. The Mercy Heart Health Clinic is set to open in February and will host an Open House on February 18. 

Mercy Heart is a volunteer-based non-profit that will provide preventative medical care to and will serve those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mercy Heart will also provide basic dental care, including prophylaxis, extractions and fillings.

The clinic hopes to alleviate some of the strain on hospital emergency rooms, which are overflowing with non-emergency patients who are uninsured and have few places to turn given the current economy. Rockdale Medical Center CEO Brian Dearing previously reported at a Chamber of Commerce meeting that about 30 percent of RMC's emergency room patients were uninsured or indigent.

Mercy Heart will begin taking appointments and seeing patients in February. The clinic will be open Tuesdays for medical care and Thursdays for dental care. Educational classes will be offered throughout the week.

All medical services will be provided by a licensed professional and a licensed medical doctor will supervise physician's assistants and nurse practitioners.

Mercy Heart will host an open house from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18, at the clinic located at 2796 Ga. Highway 20 S.

For more information, contact Greg Smith, president of Mercy Heart Health Clinic, at 678-374-5132 or visit Mercy Heart's Web site, www.mercyheartclinic.org.