Chattanooga clinic ministers to the 'medically underserved'
By Annette Bender
The "terror on their faces" - that's what Becky Hall remembers about TennCare subscribers who attended a recent health fair at Christ United Methodist Church in Chattanooga. When the people asked questions about their health care coverage, Hall saw that they were terrified at the prospect of being among thousands dropped from TennCare's rolls this summer.
Meanwhile, at a free health-care clinic in Chattanooga, TennCare subscribers are "running scared," says Clinic Director Barbara Weinhold. They're trying to get established as patients at the new clinic, although they are not eligible until they have no insurance at all.
The TennCare subscribers realize that the new Volunteers in Medicine Clinic may soon be overwhelmed with desperate patients once the disenrollments begin, Weinhold explains.
"It's very sad that a clinic like this has to exist in the United States," she says. "We should be doing better."
As church leaders anticipate a national health care crisis extending beyond TennCare and affecting people both inside and outside the church, many are looking toward the new Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in Chattanooga as an urgently needed ministry.
"I don't want to see anybody die because of the cost of health care," Bishop James Swanson said recently. "I want people to know that their bishop cares deeply about this issue. The church does have a right to speak up about health care."
Modeled after the original Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in Hilton Head, S.C., the Chattanooga clinic was established and equipped with grants and donations from churches and businesses. Except for a few paid staff members, medical professionals volunteer their services at the faithbased facility.
After two years of planning, the clinic opened on May 4 with Christ UMC, Hixson UMC, and Tyner UMC among the financial supporters. Becky Hall of Christ UMC served on the core leadership team that started the clinic and currently serves on the Board of Directors.
At Annual Conference 2004, Holston members met physician Jack McConnell, founder of the original Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. McConnell swept Holston members off their feet when he spoke to the Annual Conference about his vision for providing free health care to the working poor.
McConnell's sister, Liz Morton, is a member at Hixson UMC and a volunteer at the Chattanooga clinic.
"I worked on the first day that it opened," Morton said, "and I could see such a change on people's faces after they had seen the doctor and got their medicine."
Patients and guests are often struck by the quality of the facility as well as the care offered, according to Hall and Weinhold.
"This is not cheap care," Weinhold says. "We're working hard to keep high the standard of care. That's very, very important."
"We want people to be treated the way they should be treated, the way Jesus would treat them," Hall said.
Supporting Chattanooga
As of July 5, the Chattanooga clinic - the 40th Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in the nation - had already served 400 patients. The facility is located in Eastgate Town Center's 5900 building, suite 1600.
Verna Dawson, who retired as a registered nurse in 1996, now volunteers as a triage nurse. The most common ailments are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, ear infections, and diabetes, she said.
"This whole concept is wonderful," says Dawson, member at Christ UMC. "There's such a need for this type of clinic."
Anticipating large numbers of TennCare disenrollees who may soon show at the clinic's doors, Weinhold says, "We'll keep doing what we've been doing. We probably won't be able to accommodate them all, but we could add more sessions. And we'll refer them to other clinics in the area."
The facility still needs volunteer pharmacists, nurses and lab workers, as well as funding for the general budget and for services such as mammograms, CT scans and colonoscopies, Weinhold said.
Hall says she is grateful for churches that place the clinic as a line item in their budgets, for pastors who lift up the clinic to their congregations, and for clergy who provide devotions everyday before the clinic opens.
"The reality is that every church in Holston Conference has members who qualify for these services," Hall said.
Supporting Morristown
In addition to supporting the Chattanooga clinic, Tennessee congregations could consider starting clinics in their own areas - or supporting an existing clinic in Morristown, Holston leaders say.
Another VIM facility, the Helping Hands Clinic, opened in Morristown, Tenn., in October 2003.
Director Ginny Taff says that financial donations have been received from First Morristown UMC, but she is unaware if other United Methodist individuals or groups have contributed.
"We could always use volunteers to screen patients, volunteers who can speak Spanish, and of course, money," Taff said.
The clinic, located on 1307 Lincoln Avenue, is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. About 15 patients are served each day, although Taff also anticipates a patient increase following the TennCare disenrollments.
"We may add days to our schedule," she said.
Resources
Volunteers in Medicine Inc., Chattanooga
Visit the web site at www.vimchatt.org to make an online donation or to learn about volunteering. Or call (423) 855-8220.
Helping Hands Clinic, Morristown
Call Director Ginny Taff at (423) 581-4100.
Volunteers in Medicine Institute
For information on starting your own clinic or general VIMI information, visit www.vimi.org or call (802) 651-0112.
Holston Conference web site
For Bishop James Swanson's perspective on the health care crisis, updated ministry opportunities in Holston, and advocacy links, visit http://tenncarecrisis.holston.org.
Holston's Outreach/ Advocacy Team
Holston's Outreach/Advocacy Team, Bishop James Swanson, and other Tennessee United Methodists are making long-range plans for addressing the area's health care crisis through advocacy and ministry. To participate in this effort, contact Steve Hodges at (423) 733-4195, (423) 733-1626. You may also contact the connectional ministries office toll-free at (866) 690-4080.
Health Care & the Church
Although the July 6 deadline has passed for TennCare subscribers to submit their "brown pages" forms, churches should be ready to minister to thousands of Tennesseans losing their health care coverage, Bishop James Swanson said recently.
top
|
Bishop's Column
Cover Stories:
Chattanooga clinic ministers to the 'medically underserved'
and
Swanson decries London attacks
INSIDE
Nation & world
Video violence
Comfort cops
National & World News
Back to The Call Home Page
|
|
