Results: Over the past year, through our medical care, we have directly impacted the lives of over 1,200 people, 45 of them new patients.
Target demographics: the medically uninsured and critically underserved
Direct beneficiaries per year: Over the past year, through our medical care, we have directly impacted the lives of over 1,200 people, 45 of them new patients.
Geographic areas served: San Diego County
Programs: Volunteers in Medicine - San Diego, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that, since 2006, has cared for the uninsured residents of San Diego County. Our patients are adults who generally reside in the East Region (494,600 residents) and have no healthcare insurance. The County of San Diego estimates that 7% of the population in the East Region does not have medical insurance. The East Region has the second-highest rate of unemployment in the County (9.2% of the population), with 29% of residents living at or below the Federal Poverty Level (200% or less). Additionally, the East Region has the highest rate of deaths from cancer (23.1%).
Our patients are never charged for any of our medical services. We are able to provide free clinic services because of the tremendous dedication and expertise of our over 120 volunteers, including medical providers, registered nurses, and support staff. In 2014, Volunteers in Medicine treated 2,172 patients, including 228 new patients, and utilized over 4,000 volunteer hours. We care for patients who are uninsured and have no other access to medical care. Our free clinic is their safety net. The clinic was open for 1,180 hours during the year.
This year, we focused on primary care, chronic care, health and nutrition education, minor X-ray and lab procedures, telehealth access to specialty care providers, and geriatric care. We launched our Diabetes Program, which addresses the issues faced by our pre-diabetic and diabetic patients.
Our future initiatives include relocating to a more centralized and populated location in El Cajon and expanding VIM services by providing educational materials, interpreters, and medical supplies.
