Wide Range of Primary Care Services Will Be Offered to Uninsured at Massive Free Clinic in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Uninsured Washingtonians will receive many primary medical care services as well as various medical tests and additional services at the large, one-day free clinic that will be held in Tacoma on April 30.

The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC), in cooperation with the Washington Free Clinic Association (WFCA), will sponsor the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic at the Tacoma Dome, 2727 East D Street, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

Each patient will see a medical practitioner for an initial examination. Based on that examination, the patient may receive one or more of the following services: electrocardiogram (EKG), cholesterol blood test, glucose test for diabetes, muscular-skeletal exam, urinalysis, hemoglobin test, pregnancy test and strep test. The patient also may receive additional services including vision exams and glasses (on a limited, first-come-first-served basis) and STD and HIV testing. All patients will receive information on local safety-net providers and other resources in the area.

"The benefits of this clinic will go well beyond this one-day event, because all of the patients will be referred to resources in their own communities for ongoing care," WFCA Executive Director Katie Rains said. "The goals of this clinic are to connect uninsured patients to free clinics and other safety-net providers and to grow the community support and partnerships that make it possible for more than 30 free clinics in communities across Washington to provide care to uninsured residents every day." 

This will be the 10th in a series of large, mostly one-day C.A.R.E. Clinics held around the country to bring together physicians and other health care professionals, as well as non-medical volunteers, to serve the needs of thousands of people who might otherwise go without medical care. Since September 2009, more than 11,000 uninsured patients received medical treatment at C.A.R.E. Clinics in Houston, New Orleans (twice), Little Rock, Kansas City, Hartford, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington, D.C.

"For one day on April 30, the Tacoma Dome will become the largest doctors' office in the country," NAFC Executive Director Nicole Lamoureux said. "Most of the past C.A.R.E. Clinics have served more than 1,000 patients each, and we look forward to being able to provide this much-needed service to the Tacoma area uninsured while highlighting the work of both the area's and the nation's free clinics."

Patients are encouraged to call 1-877-233-5159 to make appointments to ensure they will be seen. The demand for the clinic is expected to be too great to handle patients who do not have appointments. Walk-ins are not guaranteed to be seen and will be seen only on a limited, first-come-first-served basis.

Information about the free clinic for both patients and volunteers is available at: www.freeclinics.us.

About the National Association of Free Clinics:

The National Association of Free Clinics is the only nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more than 1,200 free clinics and the people they serve in the United States.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, as well as the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation.

For more information about the NAFC and to donate to help support the work of the organization, visit www.freeclinics.us.  

About the Washington Free Clinic Association:

The Washington Free Clinic Association (WFCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen and support the free clinics of Washington through advocacy, education and professional networking.  The WFCA currently represents 26 of the 30+ identified free clinics in Washington state.  These clinics are formed in an effort to improve access to care for the uninsured.  Each clinic offers unique services ranging from acute medical, chronic disease management, dental care, vision care, counseling, as well as referral to many more valuable resources.

The WFCA was founded in 2008, and in just 3 short years, the WFCA has developed a variety of programs to strengthen the free clinics around the state, as well as to support the start-up of new free clinics. To learn more about the WFCA or to make a contribution to support this important work, please visit www.wafreeclinics.org.

SOURCE National Association of Free Clinics