This June, River Hospital will launch the River Community Clinic, a new initiative designed to provide free healthcare services to uninsured adults throughout the Thousand Islands region.
The clinic, created through a partnership between River Hospital and founding donor Gretchen Scott, will offer primary and preventive healthcare services including chronic disease management, routine checkups, vaccinations, and ongoing care coordination for uninsured community members age 18 and older. For Scott, the project is deeply personal.
While building a successful national fashion brand and signature boutiques, Scott has remained closely connected to her North Country roots and to the values she learned from her father, the late Dr. George Sturtz. A pediatrician known for his compassion and commitment to local families, Dr. Sturtz believed healthcare should never feel out of reach for people in need.
Scott was also inspired by her longtime friendship with the late Judy Randall, a dedicated River Hospital Auxiliary volunteer and community advocate who spent years supporting the hospital and encouraging others to do the same. Together, those influences helped shape the vision behind the River Community Clinic and its focus on compassionate, community-based care.
The River Community Clinic, created in memory of Dr. George Sturtz, was developed in response to a growing need for accessible healthcare services for uninsured residents in the Thousand Islands region. Hospital leaders say the initiative arrives at an important time for rural healthcare communities across the country, as small hospitals and patients alike face increasing financial pressures, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, and significant gaps in insurance coverage.
“Gretchen brought forward a vision that immediately resonated with our mission and our goals as a hospital,” said Kelley Tiernan, CEO of River Hospital. “We shared the same concern about people in our communities delaying care, struggling to manage chronic illness alone, or falling through the cracks entirely because they do not have insurance coverage. This clinic represents a meaningful partnership focused on meeting those needs in a practical and compassionate way.”
Initially operating Fridays in River Hospital’s Medical Office Building, the clinic will provide care by appointment for uninsured adults and focus on preventive care, chronic illness management, and helping patients establish more consistent healthcare support over time.
In addition to direct medical services, the clinic will also work closely with River Hospital’s broader network of providers and support services to help patients navigate insurance enrollment opportunities and connect with longer term healthcare resources whenever possible.
“This is really about dignity,” said Norman E. Snyder, Chair of the River Hospital Board of Directors, “People in the North Country are resilient and independent. Many are used to pushing through difficult situations quietly and without asking for help. But healthcare has become increasingly complicated, and too many people are struggling to access routine care. This clinic is about making sure our community has a place to turn.”
Scott’s support will fund the clinic’s initial years of operations, while River Hospital is contributing substantial in-kind support including clinical space, diagnostics, technology systems, staffing integration, scheduling, compliance oversight, and administrative leadership.
Hospital leaders say they hope the River Community Clinic becomes not only an important healthcare resource, but also a broader community effort focused on long term stability, dignity, and access to care throughout the region. Additional opportunities for community members to support the clinic and its future sustainability are expected to develop over time.
“This project reflects what can happen when people who care deeply about this region come together around a shared purpose,” Tiernan said. “There is a long tradition in the North Country of neighbors helping neighbors, and this clinic builds on that spirit in a very meaningful way.”
Appointments for the River Community Clinic will begin in early June.
Services are available by appointment only for uninsured adults age 18 and older. Community members interested in learning more visit our website River Hospital - River Community Clinic or to schedule an appointment call 315.482.1291.