06/20/2007

Care for those who need it

Clinic relies on goodwill of others to provide free care

By AL PARKER
Special to the Record-Eagle

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
Thomas Dunfee and Barb LeJeune look over some computer records. Dunfee has been practicing medicine for more than 42 years and now volunteers his time at the Traverse Health Clinic.

TRAVERSE CITY — The excitement is obvious in Dr. Leslie Heimburger's voice when she talks about her volunteer role at the Traverse Health Clinic and Coalition.

"I get to provide quality health care to people who are underserved,” said Heimburger, who has been voluntarily caring for patients at the clinic every other Monday since 2004. "It's very different from private practice. I probably get much more out of it than the patients get out of it.”

The clinic's purpose is to ensure that people, especially uninsured adults, have access to health care including primary medical, dental, vision and medication services. The organization also arranges referrals to other providers and takes part in programs that offer health care to eligible participants.

Heimburger and others at the clinic are now hoping more physician volunteers, especially retired physicians, will be interested in caring for patients, either at the clinic in Logan's Landing, or at their own practice.

"The need is great,” explained Heimburger. "But when you serve others you get back more than you give. There's something very satisfying about helping others.”

According to clinic reports, the number of people ages 19-64 without health insurance in Michigan from 2000 to 2004 was 258,653. That's a 2.9 percent increase compared to a 1.7 percent increase nationally.

In 2006, the clinic saw an estimated 1,800 patients, about half of whom are below the federal poverty level. Those patients accounted for a 72 percent increase in the number of patient visits, from 3,380 to 5,810.

Ninety percent of the clinic's patients have chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and depression. They require regularly scheduled visits, and typically, several medications.

"We've gone through a lot of growth,” said family practice physician Flora Biancalana, who serves as the clinic's medical director. "We do need more physician volunteers because we're seeing more patients. We can use any specialties.”

Biancalana's role as a volunteer dates back to her days as a medical student at Michigan State University. She worked at a free clinic in Lansing and sought a similar role when she moved to Traverse City in 2001.

As medical director, Biancalana oversees the clinic's nurse practitioners and reviews quality issues, along with other administrative responsibilities. She also sees patients.

Physicians are not the only volunteers needed at the clinic, according to Executive Director Arlene Brennan, RN. All of its nursing staff, plus a number of its nurse practitioners and physician's assistants, are volunteers.

"I think people, particularly in the health care professions, have that urge to help people,” Brennan said. "I think they naturally always think 'What can I do to help?'”

The clinic, known then as the Community Health Clinic, first began serving uninsured patients in the Traverse City area in 1975. Its current incarnation is the result of a merger between the clinic and the Grand Traverse Regional Health Care Coalition, which was formed in 2003 to further focus on the problem of obtaining access to health care services.

The merger brought together two organizations with the common mission of ensuring that people have access to health services with dignity. The focus is to serve uninsured adults throughout the northwestern Lower Peninsula, with special emphasis on Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.

Over the years, the clinic's programs were expanded beyond primary care to include dental, vision, some mental health services and medications.

A non-profit organization, the clinic is financed through public and private grants, government funding and philanthropy from community organizations and individuals. It is supported by a network of physicians, practitioners, nurse practitioners, dentists, Munson Healthcare and others.

Brennan is grateful for all support the clinic receives from its volunteers and the community.

"The physicians have been great, Munson Healthcare has been terrific, the physician's assistants and nurse practitioners have been tremendous, the dentists, optometrists and ophthalmologists have been outstanding,” she said. "We're grateful for all they have done.”

The clinic continues to seek volunteers, however.

"If anyone is interested in volunteering in any role, we'd like to hear from them,” Brennan said.

For more information about the clinic, call 935-0799 or visit www.traversehcc.com.