Access through Altruism: A Community-based Free Outpatient Surgery Program for the Working Poor in the United States

Despite healthcare reform, a large population in the United States is without healthcare coverage. The Surgery for People in Need (SPIN) program offers free outpatient surgical procedures to working, uninsured adults. Taking nearly one year to construct, the program has been operational for three years and has performed 22 procedures. Free surgery programs can improve healthcare access by providing interventions to patients who otherwise have no outlet for surgical care.

Holistic Healthcare for Medically Uninsured: The Church Health Center of Memphis

<p>The Church Health Center (CHC) in Memphis was founded in 1987 to provide quality, affordable health care for working, uninsured people and their families. With numerous, dedicated financial support­ers and health care volunteers, CHC has become the largest faith-based health care organization of its type nationally, serving &gt;61,000 patients. CHC embraces a holistic approach to health by promoting wellness in every dimension of life. It offers on-site services including medical care, dentistry, optometry, counseling, social work, and nutrition and fitness education, to promote wellness in every dimension of life. A 2012 economic analysis estimated that a $1 contribution to the CHC provided roughly $8 in health services. The CHC has trained &gt;1200 Congregational Health Promoters to be health leaders and is conducting research on the effectiveness of faith community nurses partnering with congregations to assist in home care for patients recently discharged from Memphis hospitals. The MEMPHIS Plan, CHC’s employer-sponsored health care plan for small business and the self-employed, offers uninsured people in lower-wage jobs access to quality, afford­able health care. The CHC also conducts replications workshops several times a year to share their model with leaders in other communities. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) recently completed a case study that concluded: “The CHC is one of a very few organizations successfully embodying all three components of the IHI Triple Aim by improving population health outcomes, enhancing the individual’s health care experience, and controlling costs. All three have been part of the Center’s DNA since its inception, and as a transform­ing force in the community, the model is well worth national attention.” <em>Ethn Dis.</em>2015;25(4):507-510; doi:10.18865/ ed.25.4.507</p>

Improved Quality in Diabetes Care for the Working Uninsured Using Systems Thinking With an Interprofessional Team

Purpose: To develop and implement a standardized, evidence-based diabetes management program using an interprofessional team of volunteers, students, and staff at a new free clinic for the working uninsured. Method: Retrospective studies were conducted on convenience samples of 40 diabetic patients pre- and postredesign of diabetes care. Results: Diabetes patients received access to a diabetes management program with quality improvement measures of outcomes. Discussion: This quality improvement initiative provided an assessment of the processes for diabetes care delivery and outcomes.