MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A Madison medical clinic serving uninsured and low-income Wisconsin residents now needs community support to address a shortage.
Specialty Care Free Clinic staff is seeking additional volunteer clinicians to volunteer their time.
“If you’ve never volunteered before, I highly recommend you give it a try, because it’s a very safe, low-risk way to step in and help people who really need it. .”
Psychiatrist Dr. David Dowell has been volunteering for almost 20 years. He retired from his full-time job in May but continues to help out at the free clinic.
“What inspired me was that these people were just like any other patient in the clinic and needed care just like anyone else, so why were they getting the care they needed? “And I found a place where I could give back,” Dr. Dowell said.
Supported by doctors from over 20 specialties. Executive director Sheila Martin said ideally there would be about two doctors in each area.
“Volunteer availability can change from moment to moment,” Martin said. “But now we’re in a situation that we’ve never had before, where we actually lack some expertise altogether.”
The clinic will provide desperately needed treatment to 160,000 uninsured Wisconsinites with referrals from primary care providers.
“As a result, our patients sometimes wait four to six months before being admitted,” Martin said. “And while this is not unheard of in conventional medicine, for our patients we often wait until the pain gets too bad or they can’t work. , if they can’t work, they’re not going to bring in money to pay rent and groceries.”
The more time physicians have, the better, but we ask volunteers to give at least a few hours every other month.
Even if you don’t have insurance, a trip to the emergency room may be unavoidable if you can’t get the care you need. It can be very expensive.
Staff and volunteers want to stop it, but manpower is limited.
“We doctors are privileged, you know, we’re in a very privileged position in this culture. And if you can give back to others, please do so if you can.” , and I think don’t hesitate,” Dr. Dowell said. “I want to say to those doctors, those nurses, those therapists, we need you.”
Our clinic needs volunteers with the following specialties:
Gastrointestinal Rheumatology Podiatry Endocrinology Lung Allergy Nephrology Urology Ophthalmology Optometry Psychiatry
If you would like to volunteer, please contact the clinic at Specialist@scfcwi.org or (608) 827-2308.
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