by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
If you don’t have medical insurance, perhaps Volunteers in Medicine can help.
VIM is a medical clinic staffed by volunteers that provides free care to the low-income uninsured workers who live or work in Duval County. Their families also may be eligible for VIM’s care. Those eligible for VIM services have an income level between $13,740-$22,450 per year for a single person. Patients may receive free primary medical care, referrals for special services, diabetic and nutrition counseling and medication.
“The whole community suffers with uninsured people,” said James Burt, co-founder and doctor at VIM. “People go to the ER, which has become like a primary care facility, and clog the system.”
The clinic helps relieve that burden through the generosity of volunteers and the community, said Burt.
“We know of 40,000 workers in Jacksonville with no insurance, and that doesn’t include dependents,” said Burt. “We have an obligation to help those that need help.”
Catie Wallace handles more than 100 volunteers a month at VIM. She quit her job teaching to be the volunteer coordinator.
“Everyone who is here, wants to be here. We are all very dedicated and it’s amazing we can run a clinic with strictly volunteers,” she said. “We pull together to make it happen. I love it.”
The clinic opened in 2003 and has 16 volunteer doctors and 14 nurses. The clinic has doubled the patient load in the last year and tripled in patient visits.
“The cost is gigantic,” Burt said. “We have a huge cost center and it’s just going up.”
The next big goal of VIM is to continue to increase patient base and to let people know the clinic is available.
“We continue to have a commitment to the people trying to realize the American dream, and pull them up by the bootstraps. I realize the American dream is not really available to everyone because of the cost of medical care. Maybe we can make a difference by allowing those people to be independent so they remain confident in their work and professions,” said Burt.
The mission of VIM is to provide a facility for people in need and to provide a place for people to donate back.
“That is the heart of what we are,” said Burt.
One of the clinic’s goals when it opened was to have the capability to perform X-rays. Although not happening yet, the clinic was able to secure a grant to renovate a room to house the machine donated by America Rad. Burt says he hopes it will be operating soon.
The clinic has a specialty room for optometry, a screening area, a nurses’ station with a mini-library for references and online use as well as six patient rooms.
Burt said the clinic is always looking for volunteers. The clinic is located at 41 East Duval Street and online at www.vim-jax.org.