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Latest News from Volunteers in Medicine
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2007 |
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December 2007: Volunteers in Medicine, the Snyder Foundation, and ECHO (Empowering Church Healthcare Outreach) are working together to develop free health care clinics for America’s uninsured. Drawing on the expertise and resources of each organization, this affiliation is based on the belief that their individual missions will benefit from collaboration.
ECHO is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower churches to marshal their human and financial resources to develop nonprofit health care clinics that provide a medical home for America’s poor and needy. ECHO was formed and is funded by the Nancy and John Snyder Foundation.
Volunteers in Medicine is the only national nonprofit committed to helping communities develop free medical clinics staffed by retired and practicing volunteers to deliver care to the uninsured. Consultants from the Volunteers in Medicine national office will provide assistance to the ECHO referred churches interested in developing a clinic in their community. Under this affiliation, ten ECHO referred VIM clinics are planned to open by 2010.
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June 2007: The Hannibal Free Clinic located at 711 Grand Avenue in Hannibal, MO began seeing patients earlier this month. Basic health care services are provided by volunteer physicians and nurse practitioners. Routine lab and radiology services are provided through charitable contributions from the Hannibal Regional Hospital, local radiologists, pathologists and physician clinics. The clinic also provides assistance with medications and support for accessing other health care services to eligible patients. To qualify for services, patients must be between 18 and 64 years of age, without any form of health insurance, and have an income below 150% of the poverty level. The clinic is partnering with Hannibal-La Grange College and other schools of nursing to become a clinical practice site for nursing students.
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June 2007: VIM Alliance National Conference: Bill Shore, Executive Director and Founder of Share our Strength; Edward O’Neil, Jr., MD, Founder and President, Omni Med; and John Castaldo, MD and Lawrence Levitt, MD, co-authors of “The Man with the Iron Tattoo and Other True Tales of Uncommon Wisdom” will be featured as Keynote Speakers at the 1st VIM Alliance National Conference in October.
www.strength.org
www.omnimed.org
Bio for John Castaldo
Bio for Lawrence Levitt
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April 2007: Dates have been set for the first National VIM Alliance Conference. The conference is scheduled for October 26-28, 2007 in Washington, DC. Small Business California and AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) have joined the Cardinal Health Foundation in support of this conference.
There are now 51 VIM clinics in 19 states across the country. The Columbia County VIM Clinic located in Berwick, Pennsylvania began seeing patients in late March.
Ellen Hamilton has joined the staff as Administrative Assistant in the Burlington office. Her primary responsibility is managing communications and services for over 50 members of the VIM Clinic Alliance. Ellen will also assist with coordinating logistics for the first VIM National Conference.
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January 2007: The Cardinal Health Foundation will award Volunteers in Medicine a grant to support the first VIM Alliance National Conference to be held in Washington, DC later this year. Leaders from VIM clinics across the country will come together to attend educational sessions, discuss best practices, and share ideas and challenges related to the all aspects of clinic management.
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2006 |
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December 2006: Volunteers in Medicine was selected by the Manhattan Institute for their 2006 Social Entrepreneurship Award. This award honors nonprofit leaders who have found innovative, private solutions for some of America’s most pressing social problems. VIM was one of five organizations to receive this award. For more information about this award, visit www.manhattan-institute.org/html/social_entrepreneurship.htm.
(Photo: Howard Husock, Vice President, Programs, Manhattan Institute and Amy Hamlin, VIM Executive Director)
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November 2006: We would like to welcome Jim Crook to the Volunteers in Medicine Board of Directors. Mr. Crook recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of IDX Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: IDXC). Prior to this position, Jim served as President and Chief Operating Officer of IDX. Mr. Crook holds a B.A. in Administrative Science from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He has been a Trustee of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont since 1996 in addition to serving on several other nonprofit and corporate boards.
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October 2006: The Volunteers in Medicine-San Diego Clinic, located in El Cajon, California, which opened last month is the 50th VIM clinic nationwide and first to be located in California. The clinic will serve those who meet specific income requirements and work or live in El Cajon. Located next to the Chapel of the Valley United Methodist Church, VIM-San Diego will initially be open on Saturdays with plans to expand its hours to include weeknights. For more information about VIM-San Diego, please visit their website at www.vim-sandiego.org.
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July 2006: Located at 105 East Main Street in Jefferson, North Carolina, Ashe County Free Medical Clinic opened its doors on July 13 to serve the working uninsured living and working in Ashe County. The clinic, which began with an initial Duke Divinity School Grant, was developed by the Ashe Outreach Ministries and Clifton United Methodist Church. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June, local officials and volunteers gathered to celebrate this special occasion.
(Photo: Opening Ceremony)
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June 2006: Patients from the Community Healthcare Center (CHC), a VIM Alliance Clinic, located in Savannah, Georgia are now better equipped to handle the challenges of living with Diabetes. These were among the first Savannah graduates of the Amigo En Salud / Friends in Health program. Designed by Pfizer Health Solutions (PHS) Inc., this 10-week program was created specifically for the African American and Hispanic populations to address the cultural challenges they face in dealing with this disease. Amigo En Salud / Friends in Health is a self-management program based on a community health worker model, which trains local community members to educate, empower, and motivate people with diabetes and their families. According to Angela Camilleri, Senior Manager of Community Health at PHS, the goal is to graduate hundreds of people in the Savannah area by the end of this year with a focus on continuing to expand Amigo En Salud throughout the country. For more information, visit www.chcsavannah.org or www.pfizerhealthsolutions.com.
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April 2006: The Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers located in Highlands, North Carolina and the Laurens County VIM Clinic in Dublin, GA are the newest members of the VIM Alliance. There are now 46 clinics, based on the VIM model, providing health care services to the working uninsured.
In early December, volunteers and patients faced nasty winter weather and freezing rain to reach the Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers on opening night. Although there was discussion to post-pone the first night of clinic operations, board members decided to move forward with the opening. The clinic provides primary care to uninsured people in the Highlands-Cashiers area with incomes at or below 150 percent of the poverty level. The clinic also works with local surgeons who offer their services free of charge or at a reduced cost. Initially, the clinic will be open on Thursday evenings.
After two years in development, the Laurens County VIM Clinic became a reality in early April. The Laurens County VIM provides non-emergency medial services to working families, in the Lauren County, who fall within 200 percent of the federal poverty level. During the ribbon cutting ceremony, clinic organizer, Dr. Bob Oliver, indicated that both the community and local health care providers would continue to play a huge role in the continued success of the clinic. Like all other VIM clinics, the clinic in Dublin is a community owned and operated clinic. Patients will be seen at the clinic on Tuesday evenings with daytime hours on Thursdays.
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2005
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August 2005: On July 28th the Taylors Free Medical Clinic, a faith-based health and wellness center, began seeing low-income and uninsured patients in Taylors, South Carolina. The clinic is the result of a collective effort by areas churches that saw the unmet need for medical services in the Taylors area. The clinic will operate one night a week, and once the program is up and running doctors will serve about 45 patients a week. The Taylors Free Medial Clinic is part of the Community Health Alliance, a United Way-led coalition of health professionals, agency administrators and community volunteers.
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July 7, 2005: Governor Christine Gregoire cut the ribbon and officially opened the Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics (VIMO) in Port Angeles, WA. The clinic, located at 909 E. Georgiana Street, is a combined effort of the United Way of Clallam County’s Access to Health Care initiative and the PAARC (Port Angeles Association of Religious Communities) Clinic with additional support from the local community. To date, more than 20 medical providers, 50 nurses and non-medical personnel have committed to volunteering their expertise. In addition to leasing the facility to VIMO for $1 a year, the Olympic Medical Center is donating lab and x-ray services, as well as technical support. Furniture, equipment, and local services have all been donated. Volunteers from Virginia Mason, Port Angeles Rotary Club and the Olympic Kiwanis Club have painted the inside and outside of the clinic. VIMO will be open two days a week to serve the working uninsured in the Port Angeles area.
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April 28, 2005: Over 300 people attended the Grand Opening Celebration of the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Chattanooga Clinic. Dr. Jack McConnell, founder of the first VIM clinic in South Carolina, was the keynote speaker. Special guests included City Council Marti Rutherford, City Council Jack Benson, and County Com. Larry Henry. Chief of Staff, Dan Johnson, read a proclamation from Mayor Ron Littlefield declaring Thurs., April 28th Volunteers in Medicine Day for Chattanooga. Representatives from the major hospitals and the Director of the UT Medical School - Chattanooga attended the ceremonies. Nancy Franks, President of VIM-Chattanooga, indicated that 158 calls came into the clinic on its first day of operation. Volunteer physicians, nurses, medical assistants will begin seeing patients on Wednesday, May 4th. The clinic will provide primary and preventative care services, specialty referrals, health education and nutrition management programs, and prescription drug assistance for patients. The clinic will increase the health and wellness of the area’s working uninsured, help relieve crowded emergency rooms, and help free public dollars for other services. For more information on the VIM-Chattanooga, visit their website at www.vim-chatt.org.
(Photos: Dr. McGill, Dr. Bob Bowers, Medical Director, and Dr. Bob Myers Founding Committee member; Dr. McConnell and Nancy Franks during the grand opening ceremony; Group Photo: Nancy Franks, President, Gov. Phil Bredesen, County Mayor Claude Ramsey, City Mayor Ron Littlefield, Barbara Weinhold, Clinic Director and Dr. Bob Bowers, Medical Director
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January 2005: The Transylvania County VIM in Brevard, NC was awarded the Duke Power Citizenship and Service Award. This award is a tribute to individuals or groups who make a difference in their communities or places of work by using their time, talents and compassion to positively impact the lives of others. Recipients of the award help foster a culture of citizenship and service that acts as a catalyst for others to become involved in civic and social activities. The award is designed to recognize outstanding volunteer service and civic participation over a twelve month period. Purpose of the Award is to: recognize and reward leadership and/or involvement in volunteerism and community service; encourage a culture of citizenship and service in our communities; and complement the efforts of those individuals and organizations in our community striving to improve our quality of life. Congratulations to the Transylvania County VIM clinic!
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January 31, 2005: The Houston County Volunteer Medical Clinic, located on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins, Georgia, celebrated its grand opening on January 31st. Physicians on staff at the Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital, along with a number of retired physicians, have volunteered to staff the clinic. Donations came from many areas within the community including a $7,100 grant from Health Care of Central Georgia. Initially, the clinic will be open two evenings a week offering basic primary care services.
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