05:59 PM CST on Thursday, January 26, 2006

By Wendell Edwards / 11 News

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A new program is getting under way in Houston that allows doctors to care for the uninsured for free.

According to the latest figures from 2004, more than 1.1 million people in Harris County alone do not have health insurance."

For thousands of Houstonians without insurance, the emergency room is their only option for health care.

"You can see it in the ERs with people who wait until something is truly an emergency and they are exasperated because they couldn't get it taken care of," said Carol Parent, Chairman to Gateway to Care.

The Gateway to Care Provider Health Network launched in November and is designed to give the uninsured another option to see doctors for free.

Organizers tell us hundreds of doctors have been doing pro-bono work for years. But in this organized effort, there will be a network of resources to assist them.

"It's not just the physicians, it's the ancillary services, lab services the hospitals have to do their piece, etc," explained Parent.

To be eligible, patients must be referred from a federally-qualified health center and be at least 150 percent below the poverty level with no other access to health insurance.

So far, about 50 doctors are in the program.

Dr. Shelley Sekula Gibbs was one of the first to treat a patient.

"This is an organized way so the doctors don't feel like they are doing it all on their own," said Dr. Sekula Gibbs.

In the coming months, the goal is to add more doctors.

For more information on the Gateway to Care Program, just call 713-783-4616.