(Springfield, MO) --  It's a way women who cannot afford to see a doctor can get the vital health care they need.

The Jordan Valley Health Center is the only place in Springfield that offers the Wise Woman program. And while participants can get treatment for health problems they may have, the goal is to teach prevention along the way.

Bobbi Ream says going to the doctor is a luxury she cannot afford.

"I'm at an awkward age where I'm not ready for Medicare but health insurance is -- I haven't even priced it lately," she says.

But now as a participant in the Wise Woman program, Ream can get vital exams like mammograms, Pap exams, and heart check-ups for free.

"It allowed me to get back on track with my regular exams," she says. "I had not seen to my own health screenings."

Missouri is one of only 15 states that offers this federally-funded program.

It allows women aged between 40 and 64 with little-to-no insurance to make sure they have regular check ups, specifically their cardiac care.

"A lot of ladies don't realize it but more women die from cardiovascular disease than anything else," Wise Woman program coordinator Elisa Coonrod says.

Dr. Chan Ngo says she finds it rewarding to treat patients who ordinarily couldn't pay for health care.

"It is very frustrating when, as a physician, you know what you want to recommend for your patients and they can't do it because of financial constraints," Dr. Ngo says.

Having the same access to basic health care information is something both doctors and patients in the Wise Woman program appreciate.

"As a nurse, I know a lot about health that the general public doesn't know because they didn't have professional training, but these ladies get that professional training," Coonrod says.

"Activity levels -- I'm finding some things count for activity that I hadn't ever considered," Ream says. "Gardening, for instance."

The Wise Woman program focuses on preventing heart disease, but doctors say the true value is teaching prevention in general.

"Prevention is sometimes the best medicine," Dr. Ngo says. "You can talk to them about what's a healthy lifestyle and give them information."

In order to qualify for the Wise Woman program, patients must currently be enrolled in the Show-Me Healthy Women program and meet certain income guidelines.

Just call the Jordan Valley Clinic or show up in the waiting room to start the process.

It's also offered through the health departments in Taney, Hickory and Dallas Counties. And in all these places, patients meet with doctors and nutritionists to discuss their lifestyles to see if they need to adjust their habits.