ROTACARE FREE CLINIC - BELLEVUE

The RotaCare Free Clinic-Bellevue will celebrate its 10th Anniversary on September 20, 2007. Beginning in the basement of the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, the clinic moved in January 2000 to Hopelink, which is located at 14812 Main Street, Bellevue, Washington.

We provide medical and minor surgical care to Washington State residents who do not have health insurance; who do not belong to any health care program; and who cannot afford to pay for healthcare.

The clinic is open Saturday mornings and has served up to 26 patients on a clinic day. Approximately 75 volunteers support the clinic. They include MD's, DO's, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Medical Assistants, Pharmacists, Translators, and Receptionists. An Administrative Council directs the day-to-day clinic operations, and the RotaCare Puget Sound Board oversees the three RotaCare Free Clinics in Bellevue, Renton, and Lake City.

For the Bellevue Clinic, area medical subspecialists and surgical specialists offer pro bono consultations. Overlake Hospital Medical Center provides laboratory support. Washington Imaging and Bellevue Medical Imaging donate x-ray support.

Currently the majority of the clinic's cost goes to purchase medications for patients, which are billed to us at the DSHS level. Our annual cost is around $10,000, but if all volunteer services were purchased, it would cost about $280,000 per year!

On behalf of those who need our services the most, we thank our primary supporter, The Bellevue Rotary Club, in addition to District 5030, who has chosen this as a District project.

RENTON ROTACARE CLINIC

The Renton Rotary RotaCare Clinic began in October 2003 as a collaborative effort between Renton Rotary, Valley Medical Center and Renton Technical College to provide free medical services to members of our community who are sick, have no medical insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor.

This past year our Renton clinic moved to new Salvation Army-Renton Rotary Food Bank complex located at 206 South Tobin. The Clinic is open every Saturday from 9:00-11:00 AM to assist disadvantaged children and families health care needs. An-volunteer staff consisting of physicians, nurses, and medical records personnel operate the clinic.

Since our Renton Rotary RotaCare Clinic opened the doors, we have seen over 1,600 individual patients in need of urgent medical care who did not have the funds to see a doctor.

Medical services include a visit with a physician or other medical provider and includes treatment of illness or minor injury, screening of high blood pressure and diabetes, referral for basic x-rays, blood work, and lab tests related to basic illness or minor injuries, basic medications related to patient's illness or minor injury and referrals for ongoing medical care.

We have been able to help:

• Many homeless men and women suffering from chronic cold and flu;

• A two-year old baby whose parents could not afford the cost required to see a doctor for a well-child exam in order to qualify under the State's WIC program for free milk;

• A young ex-serviceman whose Army medical insurance had run out who was suffering from a separated shoulder;

• A laid-off Boeing worker who had been unable to find a job and whose medical insurance had run out who could not afford to fill needed prescriptions;

• Students attending Renton Technical College who are on their own trying to better their life situation by attending classes at RTC and have no resources to pay for medical services.

• This is one of the most significant local projects Renton Rotary has ever undertaken. All medical services are provided by volunteers — the funds raised at our annual auction help us provide prescription medicines, lab tests and x-rays, and limited follow-up medical care for patients who simply cannot afford the high cost of medical care. The cost of operating this clinic is $20,000 to $30,000 per year (compared to the cost of a traditional medical clinic of approximately $250,000 per year).