San Diego Physicians Are Generous
This issue of the San Diego Physician focuses on volunteerism among San Diego County physicians. Every year, numerous San Diego County physicians travel to less-fortunate parts of the world and provide medical services. The generosity of these physicians is truly remarkable considering all the challenges of a maintaining a medical practice. Many volunteer care right here in San Diego County with the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic Project, in the church-based clinics like St. Leo’s and Father Joe’s (correct name?), the VIM clinic, and in their own offices.
Through the efforts of the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation (SDCMSF), physician volunteerism is expanding right here in San Diego County through Project Access San Diego (PASD), which has been in development for several years. PASD is a community-based program that coordinates donated medical care and services provided by physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and others for uninsured, low-income San Diego County residents. In PASD, both primary care physicians and specialists make a commitment to see one or more uninsured patients each month or even each year and at no charge. Patients enrolled in PASD are given access to needed medical services that would not otherwise be available to them. For more information about PASD, read “New Year Brings New Way to Manage Your Volunteer Care” on page X of this issue.
Recently, PASD, in conjunction with Kaiser-Permanente, held a day of no-cost surgery procedures for the uninsured. Nineteen procedures were performed — a truly a remarkable accomplishment. Daniel (Stoney) Anderson from Kaiser and Tana Lorah from SDCMSF deserve special recognition for their amazing efforts in coordinating this event.
SDCMSF recently hired a new executive director, Kitty Bailey, recently relocated here from Denver. Kitty has extensive experience running nonprofit organizations and working on issues related to the medically underserved and increasing access to care. A part-time medical director for PASD has been hired as well to provide clinical leadership. Together the SDCMSF staff will expand and enhance Project Access San Diego.
Hopefully the numbers of people without access to mainstream healthcare will recede with new legislation making basic healthcare a right and a privilege for all Americans. The new administration in Washington, DC, has an opportunity equivalent to 1965 when Medicare and Medicaid were enacted to fundamentally change the financing of healthcare in America. However, with or without reform, it is likely that physician volunteerism will continue to play an important role in the U.S. healthcare system.
It is often said that difficult economic times bring out the best in us. Certainly, many San Diego County physicians are taking the high road and keeping the needs of patients first in their professionalism. Being a member of the San Diego County Medical Society connects physicians with the work of PASD and other volunteerism projects being coordinated by SDCMSF, which calls its volunteer physicians “Doctors with Heart.”