Providing Healthcare to the Underserved / Uninsured Population - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Providing Healthcare to the Underserved / Uninsured Population

Natalie Foo Brianna Biederman

Health Obstacles in Rural Areas (Specifically Wise, VA)

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• COPD
• Emphysema
• Black Lung
• Dental
• Mental Health
• Drug Abuse
• Alcoholism

Our Partners

RAM and The Health Wagon

Remote Area Medical Clinic

The Wise Expedition RAM is the largest and longest in the nation. On average over 2,000 patients are seen throughout the weekend.

Remote Area Medical Clinic

This RAM saw over 1,100 patients in areas such as Mental Health, Cardiology, Urology, Women's Health, Dermatology, Pediatrics, ENT, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, Radiology, Neurology, Dental, Vision, and Physical Therapy.

What Happens to Patients After RAM?

The Health Wagon receives all the results from RAM and provides follow-up care for all patients including vouchers for medication and free / low cost appointments at the stationary clinic, mobile clinic, or a clinic near the patient.

The Health Wagon

• The Health Wagon focuses on providing the residents of the Appalachian

region with quality care without a payment.

• 98% of the patients seen are uninsured.
• Most of these patients make too much

money annually to qualify for Medicaid, but do not make enough to pay for medical expenses.

What We Learned

• Organization
• Compassion
• Patience
• Terminology
• Patient Interaction
• Networking
• Rural Health

Complications

• Nonprofit Complications

Our Advice to Future Interns

• Bring clothes you do not care about,

you never know what you will be doing that day.

• Be prepared to have days where

you will feel like you do nothing and days where you are exhausted.

• Everyone in the office is great, make
• friends. It will make the not so fun

tasks more fun.

• Be open-minded: not everything is going to be fun, but it is desperately needed