RotaCare Free Clinics San Antonio

I am in the process of creating a YouTube channel with videos related to Rotary, my Youth Service committee, and RotaCare Free Medical Clinics.
This video is the first one where I discuss what I think is the best way to recruit people into a Rotary club. Your feedback is always welcome.

Recruiting for Rotary Clubs Charlie gives some quick ideas about recruiting for your Rotary club

We have been getting a lot of support in regards to opening our first RotaCare clinic and we appreciate it greatly. My medical director and I think we should have an AED (defibrillator) at each of the clinics as we open them. This post is a request for assistance to obtain the $500 we need to buy a refurbished unit for our first clinic.
Your consideration and assitance woukd be most appreciated. Please donate at :
https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4465

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CLINIC SESSION JUNE 27. LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO VISIT.

There was another RotaCare Free Clinic session today in San Antonio, May 23. We saw 20 patients with some being referred on to our new clinic partner a larger facility (we will be having a second clinic there soon.) They can handle more indepth issues that the patients have.

There were 6 nursing students wih their instructor from a local university. One of my visions for the clinics as they are created is that there be a training component for young adults going into the medical fields. They will get to see the intense needs of people living in underserved areas which will hopefully influence their careers.

The queston that comes up is how dedicated to building out the free clinics are we all. Today we had 3 doctors, 3 nurses, and admin people. All of us were there on a pro bono basis (aka volunteer.) Part of the vision is to add what is known as Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) to the offerings.

The World Health Organization defines SDOH as the conditions in which people are born, live, work, learn, play, worship, and age. These conditions can affect a wide range of health outcomes, including quality of life, functioning, and risks. As in, medical care is important, but basic human needs like food and housing are also.
It makes total sense to do this.

For me, I understand it at a surficial level. To get a more indepth workable understanding, I have just been accepted to the University of Texas San Antonio to get a Master's in basically community health. (How's that for dedication!!!) My plan right now is for my master's thesis to be an overall description of how to create a network to accomplish SDOH.

The reason I chose that department at UTSA is because the speaker at one of my Rotary club meetings is both a member of the club and the dean of the college at UTSA, Lynne Sittig Cossman. Yes here it comes - you never know who you will meet in Rotary while doing good in the community, networking, and gaining leadership skills. Go ahead get in touch.........let's talk about you visiting the club.

We have been getting a lot of support in regards to opening our first RotaCare clinic and we appreciate it greatly. My medical director and I think we should have an AED (defibrillator) at each of the clinics as we open them. This post is a request for assistance to obtain the $500 we need to buy a refurbished unit for our first clinic.

Your consideration and assitance woukd be most appreciated. Please donate at : https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4465&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0dwDGKD65UuwgqNJuKQJWBqiqVNxtOW9cAOTOH3B5ohOABDdLNpdKAHvc_aem_AdZdD0RryQOZbdm5Z1vfj4-wHGbRPoH99KZCDjwC-IdWO-bZAnE_XQnRDZBd9OVK_YQGJ4thdgL0E64_sHixsdr3

Well I am getting more and more comfortable with building out the currently planned for 6 RotaCare Free Clinics San Antonio. Those that do follow my posts, you will have heard about my frustrations doing this. For the most part it was that nasty Covid thing exhausting potential medical personnel. The clinics work because of the overthe top generosity of the medical personnel that work pro bono in regards to RotaCare services.

Tomorrow will be the third session of free medical services at our first clinic in San Antonio. At the first 2 sessions we had 21 and 22 patients. We are regularly sending our patients to a larger facility for more involved free services. THey will also host our second clinic.

Of course we are always looking for volunteers either in Rotary or outside of Rotary. If your Rotary club is looking for a program speaker I am available to come and discuss what RotaCare is and explain why we need funding. As to funding, if you feel the same need that we do to help bring about health equity to our underserved communities, please consider donating to our San Antonio Area Foundation fund at:
https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4465

i reported that we had our first clinic opening on January 25. We saw 21 patients which included mothers and fathers with their infants. That is a record for a grand opening so we all agree there is a definite need for the services we offer and the facilities to which we refer patients that need more care. We will shortly be adding free pharmaceuticals. The next clinic day will be February 22 when we are expecting more than 21 patients. THis has been a rogh road to get to but we are sure you agree needed for our underserved neighbors.

PLEASE consider volunteering and/or donating. The more we can raise the more clinics we will be able to open around San Antonio. The following link will allow you to donate to our account with the San Antonio Area Foundation - it is a 501c3 making your donations a tax deduction.

https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4465

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY........maybe. Those of you reading my RotaCare Free Medical Clinics posts have seen me say the first clinic date is....xx/xx/ # # a couple of times.

Then through bad karma or whatever, things did not happen. Well. we decided to move ahead using a different paradigm. The original plan, which will also be used as we FINALLY start to open clinics in San Antonio to start, was to create a clinic from scratch and then recruit other groups. The groups are related to the master plan used by exisiting social service groups. That is to include SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH services (SDOH - e.g. housing, food insecurity, emotional health, etc) as part of the clinic's services. While I started to plan with a group of medical professionals that have had a clinic sort of running, we ran into a church group that does most of SDOH except having a clinic.

Yes, I am leading up to the arrangements we have been making with them. On January 25, 2024 from 8:30 am - 12:00 noon we will have our first clinic. It will be run while the church group is having a food distibution through the assistance of a food bank. That way, the food banket recipients will be able to get at least screening care for high blood pressure and diabetes.....etc.

PLEASE get in touch if you wish to volunteer that morning for the non-medical components of the clinic (BTW.......any doctors or nurses reading this are welcomed and encouraged to get in touch with me.)

Now is the time we will start recruiting donors. I was reticent before because of a couple of stumbles. I am quite sure NOW is the time to donate. Please visit our donation page in the San Antonio Area Foundation to donate.

https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4465

Thanking you again for those that have shown us support and patience. Please forward this post to friends, family, neighbors, Rotary and other service clubs.

WHY AFFILIATE WITH ROTACARE FREE MEDICAL CLINICS TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA

RotaCare is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide access points for free medical clinics and social services. The goal is to reduce health disparities and improve social determinants of health by deploying point-of-entry and virtual services that connect healthcare and social services. This document describes RotaCare Texas and Oklahoma (RotaCare), not to be confused with RotaCare Bay Area in California.

The RotaCare program provides or arranges access points not only for medical care, but also for housing, food sustainability, childcare, and other social determinants of health for those most in need through a modernized service model focused on reducing the inequity problem in healthcare.

RotaCare is in the process of locating free medical clinics under whatever label or potential groups of medical personnel that want to start a free clinic. As appropriate, the individual clinics and organizing groups will be known by whatever title it wants and also listed as an affiliate of the RotaCare Free Medical Clinic Network

As time goes by and the network increases, RotaCare will continue to be in a strong position to write grants. As process and policy develops, the affiliated clinics will apply to RotaCare for funds as they need them. The clinics will also do their own fund raising.

Patients in affiliated clinics will be able to obtain medications as prescribed by the physicians at no cost with RotaCare picking up the expense on negotiated lower prices.

Seminars will be developed to assist patients of the affiliated RotaCare clinics in basic health issues and social determinants of health (e.g. diet, housing, addictions, child care.)

RotaCare will continue to locate and negotiate services with local hospitals. When a patient comes with a problem too great or long term for the free clinic, the patient would be sent on to a larger facility that can assist. The larger the RotaCare network, the easier it will be to get hospitals interested.

RotaCare will be able to supply a certain amount of medical necessities required by the clinics. Depending upon how much is ordered, the clinic may be asked to assist with the cost of shipping.

ECLUB MOVING FORWARD

As described before, we are building a cause based Rotary eClub which will be looking at health education and health services. As an eClub, members that join can live anywhere in the world.

Rotaractors can join becoming Rotarians while maintaining their full Rotaract membership.

The areas the club will potentially cover will be developed as members join. Some possibilities are:

Helping locate and building RotaCare Free Medical Clinics in the USA. Developing and setting up health education seminars on topics like Malaria, Ebola, Polio, Diabetes, Cervical Cancer and more worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a strategy to eliminate cervical cancer which will open many opportunities for the eClub’s service to their communities. The eClub’s efforts will help meet the following targets and will help place all countries on the path toward elimination of the cancer:

90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age

70% of women screened using a high-performance test by age 35 and again by 45

90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment
There are many aspects to this goal that the Rotary based eClub could help move towards the goals. The club could create events such as (1) Holding health fairs in person and online, and (2) Working with groups like other Rotary Clubs, public health officers, and hospitals to design neighborhood health days to educate about preventing, testing for HPV, the virus mostly responsible for cervical cancer, and/or vaccinate against the virus.

ASK ME ABOUT THE eCLUB AND THIS INCLUDES ALL ROTARACTORS. REMEMBER ROTARACTORS CAN JOIN ROTARY CLUBS AND MAINTAIN THEIR ROTARACT MEMBERSHIP. MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR eCLUB IS WORLDWIDE.

STARTING A NEW CAUSE BASED ECLUB

I am on the board of RotaCare Free Clinics www.rotacarefreeclinics.org. The clinics are opened in underserved areas and offer free medical care. Currently there are clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, Puget Sound, El Paso with 4 more being built in San Antonio, Texas and 1 being built in Jacksonville, Florida. We are mostly Rotarians that are hoping to open more clinics nationwide in the USA.

We are building a new cause based Rotary eClub to help spread the word about RotaCare and other types of health related issues like PolioPlus which would have a more global perspective. Since this club would be an e-Club, members can live anywhere around the world.

If you are in Rotaract, you can join a Rotary club and maintain your Rotaract membership status. This one is projected to be less expensive than other types of Rotary clubs.

You could enlist the aid of your fellow Rotaractors to help educate your local community about health issues and also enlist the aid of local Rotary clubs to assist in building a RotaCare Free Medical Clinic.

RotaCare Free Clinics – Corporate RotaCare Free Clinics abide by all state and federal regulations, so each region overseas their clinic licenses in each state in which they operate.

The new eClub is based on health education and health services. The areas the club will potentially cover are:

Helping locate and building RotaCare Free Medical Clinics in the USA

Developing and setting up health education seminars on topics like Malaria, Ebola, Polio, Diabetes, and more

Holding health fairs

Working with groups like other Rotary Clubs to design neighborhood health days

ASK ME ABOUT THE eCLUB AND THIS INCLUDES ALL ROTARACTORS. REMEMBER ROTARACTORS CAN JOIN ROTARY CLUBS AND MAINTAIN THEIR ROTARACT MEMBERSHIP. MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR eCLUB IS WORLDWIDE.

RotaCare Free Medical Clinics in District 5840
(same article as in District 5840's newsletter about to be published)
If you have been attending DG Kristy’s leadership meetings, you would have heard about the free medical clinics that are being planned to be built around District 5840. There are tentative plans to build out 4 clinics in San Antonio. The first clinic is planned to be open in the next 3-4 months in South San Antonio. Clubs in other areas of the District are considering building clinics or at least being involved in fundraising and volunteering at the clinics already being planned to be built. The idea is to install the clinics in underserved areas and look to the various Rotary clubs for support.
MISSION STATEMENT
RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. strives to develop, support, and enhance the delivery of free medical care for the relief of pain and suffering to those people in the most need and who have the least
access to medical care, by establishing and supporting free clinics to provide such
medical care.
WHAT IS ROTACARE?
RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. is the umbrella part of the corporations that manage free walk-in clinics. It is devoted to improving the health of underserved communities including patients without insurance or legal documentation. We provide excellent medical care by combining the efforts of students, physicians, and social
workers who volunteer their time to better the lives of people in need.
RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation formed for the purpose of providing free medical care to people that have the most need and the least access to medical services. It is a
coalition of over 1500 Rotarians, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers,
interpreters, and other volunteers who provide free medical care to the medically
underserved in a collaborative effort with hospitals, clinics, community and social
service organizations and service groups.
RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. has 501(c)(3) nonprofit status as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. The RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. name is federally trademarked.
The aspirations for Rotacare Free Clinics, Inc. are to create a solid team to bring a foundation of centralized oversight and support in the form of best practices and quality care for all of our clinics. To provide the best patient care possible RotaCare Free Clinics, Inc. has adhered and will continue to adhere to the following three major goals:
● To support and sustain quality patient care in keeping with our mission to
provide free medical care for those who have the greatest need and the least
access.
● To support our volunteers at our clinics.
● To continually improve and expand capacity and services at our clinics to meet
the changing needs of our patients.
Pique your interest? I am more than happy to come to your club and/or board meeting to discuss the whole idea. If you want to volunteer and your club has not yet committed to become
involved, please get in touch. We always need volunteers and there is no long term commitment as a volunteer.
Charlie Wasser
District RotaCare Chair
RotaCare Free Clinics Board Member
[email protected]

RotaCare Clinics are always free t the patient. There are many underserved communities where for one reason or another people do not have medical insurance. RotaCare exists to give these people care as needed.

The video shows an example of one of our clinics in El Paso, Texas

https://youtu.be/49FBqG98MiQ

RotaCare Clinic El Paso RotaCare Clinic El Paso is a volunteer-operated clinic that provides free-of-charge services for the low-income community in Ysleta, El Paso, Texas.

Here are some samples of how the exam starts.

Our Mission is to develop, support, and enhance the delivery of free medical care for the relief of pain and suffering to those people in the most need and who have the least access to medical care, by establishing and supporting clinic corporations to provide such medical care.