Ed Weisbart, MD, is a volunteer with the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC), which is sponsoring a series of massive one-day free clinics at various cities around the country. This week, Dr. Weisbart contacted the NCMS with a special request to help him recruit physician volunteers for a 1-day Free Clinic in Charlotte on December 7, 2010:
Over 1,000 uninsured patients need medical care on December 7 in Charlotte NC, and we need physicians like you and me to volunteer some time and help take care of them! Many of these patients haven’t been able to see a doctor for several years.
The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, is sponsoring a one-day free medical clinic for the uninsured on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at the Charlotte Convention Center. The clinic will offer basic medical care and health education. Typically, over 80% of the patients are working at jobs that don’t provide an affordable healthcare benefit.
The NAFC has obtained malpractice coverage for this event. The NC Medical Board has told us that they will recognize out-of-state medical licenses for physicians practicing within this one-day free event.
I have personally volunteered at four of these temporary clinics. It’s one thing to know that there are 47,000,000 uninsured Americans; it’s an entirely different thing to see over 1,000 of them gratefully lined up, desperately seeking care. It’s a day that will change your perspective and leave you proud of how much you helped.
For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer right now, go to http://www.freeclinics.us/ Or if you want to talk about it a bit first, feel free to contact me directly. I hope to see you in Charlotte!
Ed Weisbart, MD, CPE, FAAFP
P.S. – Please volunteer for as much of the day as you can make yourself available; even a few hours would help a lot. We need you… and your nurses!
