Medically Underserved Should Register Now for Massive One-Day Free Clinic in Dallas
Volunteers and Donations for Event Are Still Needed
DALLAS, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of the large, one-day, free health clinic that will be held Saturday, April 9, in Dallas are urging Texans who need to see a doctor to call 1-800-340-1301 toll-free to register for appointments as soon as possible. The clinic will be sponsored by the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) in conjunction with the Texas Association of Charitable Clinics (TXACC).
"Appointment slots for patients are being filled now, so it's important for people who are medically underserved to call soon to make sure they can be seen," NAFC Chief Executive Officer Nicole Lamoureux said. "Walk-ins without appointments will be seen only as resources are available on a limited, first-come-first-served basis."
Services that will be offered at the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinic include: medical exams/physicals; medical tests for diabetes, cholesterol and pregnancy; electrocardiograms (EKGs); three months' worth of prescribed medications; vision screening/eyeglasses; health insurance navigation; kidney testing, mammograms; HIV testing; connections to local care for follow-ups; health education and behavioral health care.
The April 9 clinic will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas with patient appointment hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Parking will be free.
With about 20 percent of the population lacking health care insurance, Texas is the number one state for uninsured Americans, according to the Texas Medical Association. "We hope that people who have limited access to health care, who have not been to a doctor recently, who can not afford their medications and those who want to learn more about health insurance options and other local resources while getting a checkup will call for appointments and join us at the convention center on April 9," Jody Hopkins, executive director of the TXACC, said.
This will be the 16th in a series of large C.A.R.E. Clinics that the NAFC has held around the country to bring together physicians and other health care professionals, as well as non-medical volunteers, to serve the needs of thousands of people who might otherwise go without medical care. Since September 2009, when the first C.A.R.E. Clinic was held in Houston, more than 17,500 uninsured people have received high-quality, free medical care. This will be the second one held in Dallas. Others have been held in New Orleans, Little Rock, Kansas City, Hartford, Atlanta, Charlotte, Tacoma, Washington (D.C.) and Madison (Wis.).
Both medical and non-medical volunteers are needed to participate in the Dallas C.A.R.E. Clinic. Information on the event and how to register is available online at: www.2016DallasCARE.com. The C.A.R.E. Clinics are paid for through sponsorships and individual donations. The NAFC is encouraging donations to help make this and future C.A.R.E. Clinics possible; donations can be made at: www.nafcclinics.org.
About the NAFC:
The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,200 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care and strives to be a national voice promoting quality health care for all. The organization believes that access to health care should be a right, not a privilege, and it values volunteerism, community ownership, service and collaboration.
For more information about the NAFC, please visit www.nafcclinics.org. Follow the NAFC on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NAFClinics and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NAFCClinics.
About the TXACC:
The Texas Association of Charitable Clinics (TXACC) is a statewide nonprofit that supports the work of Charitable Clinics in Texas. By providing resources, education, training and advocacy, TXACC services are a critical part of assuring the availability of high quality healthcare services for the uninsured in Texas. Visit www.txcharitableclinics.org to learn more.
SOURCE The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics
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