Shade Tree Family Clinic, serving the community

the shade tree family clinic

a medical student-run free clinic
clinic home news shade tree foundation method of operation serving the community documents press pictures donations directions contact us	serving the community On September 24, 2005, medical students of Vanderbilt University opened a free clinic near Dickerson Pike to address the acute and chronic health needs of uninsured patients in the East Nashville area. This clinic operates on a walk-in basis one weekday evening per week and on Saturday afternoons. The clinic serves the East Nashville Bordeaux and Belshire neighborhoods, all of which are communities with limited healthcare access. In addition to providing healthcare services, tests, and screenings, the clinic offers health education and social services. It is anticipated that in its inaugural year, the clinic will achieve the following goals: Provide approximately 1000 walk-in patients with free non-emergent medical services Register 100 patients for Bridges to Care or TennCare Nashville has a large population of uninsured patients. The Dickerson Road area, where the clinic will be located, has a great need for better health care resources. Here are some quotes from the community members: I had to pay cash for treatment. I haven't been to the doctor since [15 years ago] because I can't afford it.. Lots of people would use it. They closed a clinic down. Now you've got to go out to Centennial. There should be a place that a mother could just walk there with her child.. I know lots of kids that don't really go to the doctor--including my 2 nieces.. I have to go to North Nashville for anything.. A clinic would be a blessing to this area.. There are few health facilities in the Dickerson Pike area. Many people who live in this region currently rely the emergency room at Skyline Hospital for their primary health care services. There are currently no walk-in clinics in the area. This lack of primary health care in the area results in over 25,000 unnecessary emergency room visits per year at nearby Skyline Hospital. The current health needs of members of the community and their opinions on a medical student-run free clinic were documented by a series of in-depth interviews. Data included: 98% of those surveyed think a free clinic in their neighborhood would benefit the community 35% of those surveyed have no health insurance 49% use the emergency room for primary care; 14% choose not to seek treatment of any kind for a non-emergent health problem 85% would go to a free clinic in their area instead of the ER 83% believe health services are not available in their neighborhood A medical student-run free clinic will help address some of the currently unmet health care needs of the community and reduce barriers to care of this patient population. Additionally, preventive programs operated by the clinic, including health education and screenings, could serve to reduce some of the negative health risk factors reported in the area. TennCare currently provides insurance to 23% of Tennessee's population. Recent restraints, however, within Tennessee's budget have caused a planned reduction in the number of people included within the state's TennCare Medicaid plan. It is estimated that these changes will leave around 323,000 people without insurance, many of whom have medical conditions requiring medication. These numbers do not include those who did not have an insurance plan prior to the budget cuts. A project such as this one will only succeed through continued partnership between Vanderbilt and the community. The medical student-run free clinic will change the face of health care in the Dickerson Road area for the better.
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