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Thanks to a collaboration with Cathedral Health Services and their mobile
medical volunteers, ICM has begun offering free medical clinics to our clients
who are uninsured. After three very successful pilot clinics in 2009, we have
made the commitment to establish the CHS/ICM Health and Wellness Center, and
hold monthly clinics on Saturdays in 2010!
Each clinic has seen more than 80 individuals; all very poor, all without
health insurance. Many have chronic health issues like diabetes, high blood
pressure, or heart disease. Some others come with only symptoms, saying they
haven’t been to a doctor in six, 10 or 12 years. CHS brings about 40 volunteer
medical professionals and translators to each clinic, including medical
doctors, nurse practitioners, RN’s, and phlebotomists.
Tests include well woman exams, child development assessments, vision,
cholesterol, diabetes, stroke risk, thyroid disease, heart disease, vision for
glaucoma, osteoporosis, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and general medical
checkups. To date, an average of one-fourth of the test results have come back
as abnormal. In those cases, results are discussed with the patients by phone,
or if necessary, a team from CHS goes to the home of the sick person to talk to
them about the urgency for follow-up at a local clinic.
South Phoenix Healthy Start is also part of the Saturday clinics, and they
reach out to families at the clinic who need assistance with their children’s
infancy and early childhood development issues . They also link women and
families to community resources such as AHCCCS and WIC.
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