CLARKSTON, Ga. — It’s considered the most diverse 1.5 square miles in DeKalb County. Dr. Esther Kim calls Clarkston the “Ellis Island of the South.” She and her family moved to the area from Malaysia when she was 12.

“Starting middle school, learning a new language, navigating a really complex healthcare system – it was a very challenging time,” Kim said. “People are fleeing their countries over civil war and persecution. They were seeking a safer place, and this was supposed to be their safer place. Instead, there are a lot more challenges they’re facing here coming.”

So, Kim and a group formed Ethnē Health in 2018, looking at health statistics, insurance rates, and other barriers to healthcare access to make the most impact in the community. CEO Dr. Robert Contino said transportation, cost, language barriers and hours of operation can all deter patients from receiving adequate healthcare.

“A little over half our patients come from an immigrant or refugee background, and we’ve seen over 60 different languages just in the last year here,” Contino said. 

“Healthcare is very expensive in this country, and we have a lot of people in this neighborhood who don’t have health insurance. Although we’re not a free clinic, we never turn anyone away because they can’t pay. We offer all our services on a sliding scale to make it as affordable as possible.”

Contino said several patients live within walking distance of the clinic, which is centrally located. Staff can work flexible hours to ensure patients receive the care they need at different times of the day.

Contino said the team is motivated by its Christian faith to serve others. To make the experience as welcoming as possible, the clinic draws from the community to help interpret for patients and ease anxiety. ZamZam Mohamed once came to Ethnē Health as a patient. Now, she’s helping patients as a certified medical assistant. 

“I treat you as a family, and you treat me as a family,” Mohamed said. “The patients feel happy, they’re relaxed. It’s not so bad, and they want to come to us more.”

The clinic said it is currently looking for staff and volunteers to serve a growing number of patients. In an increasingly challenging landscape to navigate, Kim said everything else can fall into place once someone’s health is secured. 

“We have to realize that health doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” Kim said. “We need the social services, the healthcare system to work together and seeing our patients not just as a number, but as our neighbors.”