KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Free Medical Clinic of America in South Knoxville now has a new name — the Kim Health Center.
The new name is meant to honor Dr. Tom Kim, who started providing free health care for people who were working but uninsured in 1993. He was given a Community Leadership Award by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013. The award is given to someone who goes above and beyond to serve their community.
Those clinics now serve an average of around 4,000 people per year. Since founding the clinic, local doctors and medical students have volunteered to help people in need.
"Knoxville is great, I mean we are helping each other and not just with medical care," Dr. Kim said during the dedication ceremony. "If something happens, like I said, this is the volunteer state."
In the last few years, the South Knoxville clinic also added a dental wing to broaden the areas in which experts are able to help.