Private MD News

Too many patients for the Montgomery STD clinic

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The Montgomery County free clinic for treating sexually transmitted disease has to turn away approximately 300 people who call for an appointment each month, according to county records. The Washington Examiner notes that the clinic's nurse administrator, Barbara Davis, said that the number may include people who call the clinic multiple times.

Like many other clinics across the country, the Montgomery County clinic is reporting a rise in the number of patients they are seeing and treating.

According to Maryland data, the number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis doubled in the county between 2005 and 2008. At the same time, the number of people the clinic tested and treated rose 29 percent.

Montgomery Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Mary Anderson said that the increase is due to more screening and improved STD tests, and not to an actual increase in disease.

There are now many options for obtaining an STD test which may make people more likely to know they have a disease and come in for treatment.

The CDC reported earlier this year that the rates of new infections of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis rose in the U.S.