This is happening in Houston today, to help those who do not have insurance and will be televised on the Dr. Oz Show in October. I am guessing part of the reason that Texas was chosen is due to the fact that they have more uninsured than in any other state. Hats off and nice work for Dr. Oz and the National Association of Free Clinics. I looked at the website and you can find listing in each state, well worth taking a look if you need help. Interesting though how the County of Orange in California is missing. 
There is one dental office in Orange county on their own that offers free dental care and one office with free medical care for those unemployed and services are open on Saturdays.
We just witnessed a similar effort here in Los Angeles with Remote Area Medical. You can also listen to Larry King interview Stan Brock about how the effort all came about and the services they provided. I covered pretty much the day to day activity while they were here in Los Angeles and made up a widget so those interested at the time could easily tune in.
Dr. Oz and the Free Clinics Group has over 700 volunteers to help make today a success and has a mini lab, mini ER rooms, etc. set up and ready to go. In contrast, announced today, Aetna Healthcare pays out a dividend to their shareholders. What’s wrong with this picture? BD
Press Release:
Clinic to Be Staffed By 500 Volunteers Including 160 Doctors and 200 Nurses, 120 Mobile Exam Rooms in a 168,000 sq ft Space
Special Episode to Air in October
NEW YORK, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- "The Dr. Oz Show," the new daily syndicated show hosted by cardiac surgeon and health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz, and the National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC), will hold an enormous free clinic at the Reliant Convention Center in Houston, Texas on Saturday September 26, 2009 to provide medical care to hundreds of people who have no form of basic health insurance. Dr. Oz will participate in the event and will devote an entire show to the plight of families living without basic health insurance and the heroic work of the medical volunteers who help them. The episode is scheduled to air in early October.
(Logo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080424/LATH509LOGO)
"As we are all committed to improving the health and wellness of America, we are answering the call of our collective conscience to hold this clinic," said Dr. Oz. "We will also use this event as a teaching opportunity to tell the stories of the needs and struggles families face when they lack basic health care."
The September 26 free clinic will be staffed by close to 500 volunteers, including 160 doctors, 200 nurses, and other health workers from the surrounding area and across the nation. "The Dr. Oz Show" and the NAFC are also reaching out to the medical community in Houston for specialists to participate, including obstetrician/gynecologists, pediatricians, reconstructive plastic surgeons, oncologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, emergency room doctors and otolaryngologists. The 168,000 square foot convention center floor will have more than 120 exam partition rooms and be set up to accommodate more than 1,600 people in one day.
This event will be massive in scope, taking place in Texas, the state which US Census data reveals has the highest percentage of uninsured people in the country with 25.2 percent. In Harris County, where the city of Houston is located, there are 1.3 Million people without health insurance. An estimated 47 million Americans are without some form of health insurance. Free clinics historically have provided care to those who lack insurance, but there has an increase in the volume of patients at free clinics in recent months. Recently the largest free clinic on record was held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center with 1,500 patients served, making national headline news and bringing the problem into public consciousness.
Important:
- Doors open at 6:30 AM for on-site registration
- People who are UNINSURED between the ages of 6 and 65 are eligible for services
- People looking to receive services should Pre-Register by calling 211 for an appointment
- Those interested in volunteering may signup online at www.regonline.com/tcare.
About "The Dr. Oz Show"
The Dr. Oz Show" is an entertaining, high octane, multi-topic hour that is equal parts life saving information combined with an "embarrassment-free zone" sensibility where nothing is off limits or out of bounds. It's all about YOU - the viewer - and what matters to you, your family, your health and your well-being. "The Dr. Oz Show" is co-produced by ZoCo Productions, LLC and Sony Pictures Television. "The Dr. Oz Show" is executive produced by Mindy Borman; Amy Chiaro is co-executive producer. The show is filmed in front of a studio audience in Studio 6A in New York's legendary Rockefeller Center.
ABOUT NAFC:
The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the more than 1,200 free clinics and the people they serve in the United States.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, and the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation.
ABOUT HARPO
Harpo Productions, Inc. produces the number-one-rated, award-winning, The Oprah Winfrey Show, creates and develops original TV programming for primetime, syndication and cable television and operates Oprah.com (www.oprah.com), a premier lifestyle website. Harpo Print, LLC and Hearst Magazines publish the monthly O, The Oprah Magazine publication. Harpo Films produces feature films and, through an exclusive deal with HBO, scripted television programming. Harpo Radio, Inc. produces Oprah Radio (XM channel 156, Sirius channel 195 as part of its "Best of XM" package) on Sirius XM Radio. A joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a multiplatform company, will debut in 2010 in more than 70 million homes on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT is a leading producer of local language scripted and non-scripted programming. SPT also sells SPE-owned formats in approximately 70 countries. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio, which includes branded networks AXN, Sony Entertainment Television, and Animax, is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 119 channel feeds available in more than 130 countries, reaching almost 400 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT is a part owner of cable channel GSN, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States, and for Sony Music Entertainment. SPT (sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
Related Reading:
I can't believe that the extremes have gotten this bad. Beth Israel is charging late-night fees and at the same time there is someone out there donating time and energy treating patients who don't have insurance. Dr. Oz is amazing and it is a relief to see some so selfless taking the initiative to help the sick regardless of their status with the insurance companies. This is the mental state that I would like to see more people get into.
ReplyDelete