A vision for helping those in need

Mr. G. sat quietly in the ophthalmology chair with his daughter by his side. He gazed to the ceiling and I was not sure if he could see me. I introduced myself and asked how he was feeling today. His daughter said he did not understand English well and he could only see my shadow. She carried in her pocket two bottles of eye drops and said he needed this medicine so he doesn’t go completely blind.

Dr. Philip R. Rizzuto explained to me that because of the devastating effect of glaucoma, our goal is to preserve what little vision Mr. G has, that of a hand moving or a bit of light. His daughter broke down and said she ran out of and could not afford the expensive eye drops that kept her father from going blind.

She said he is no longer able to get the medicine through a special program sponsored by the drug manufacturer, and Mr. G’s insurance eligibility starts Jan. 1, 2017. Neither of them has the money to pay for the medication.

Her father has been a patient at the Rhode Island Free Clinic for more than three years and she hoped he could continue with his care at the clinic.

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Looking at Mr. G, I realized he, like so many of the patients in safety-net clinics, depend on the clinic’s free health care to preserve their quality of life. Why should a 70-year-old man go blind when there is treatment to prevent it? Why does a resident of our state and their family suffer pain and complications because they cannot afford health care? Regardless of what happens in our country over the Affordable Care Act, whether it is repealed, replaced or modified, there will be thousands of individuals in our state like Mr. G. who need critical health care – in this case, sight-saving medication.

Many cannot wait until our country figures things out. Others will continue to come to our safety-net clinics or go without care because they cannot afford it. The goals of access to care and improving a patient’s quality of life are the aim of any health care system.

The Rhode Island Free Clinic has been providing quality health care to uninsured Rhode Island residents since 1999. In the past decade, the clinic has served nearly 9,000 adults, and provided more than 70,000 patient visits. What is unique about the clinic is that it delivers comprehensive primary health care, nearly every specialty service, preventive visits and wellness programs through a corps of dedicated volunteers.

Over the last decade, these volunteers have numbered over 1,000, including more than 300 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. What’s more, the clinic fundraises its entire $1 million annual budget each year, relying on the generosity of donors, board members, volunteers and strong community partnerships.

Even after the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, the demand for care exceeds the clinic’s capacity. As we look to the future of the ACA, and the impact that changes to the ACA could have on our state’s health care system, the Rhode Island Free Clinic will be needed more than ever.

We will build upon our strong community and collaborative relationships to improve care for an important and vulnerable segment of the population.

Like all of our volunteer physicians, Dr. Rizzuto figured out a way to help a person who needs care. He picked up his phone, found a colleague with the medicines in his office, and had them delivered immediately to Mr. G’s daughter.

The clinic’s team was able to get Mr. G. the sight-saving medicine he needed, and the clinic was able to help his daughter understand the pending insurance coverage. Until patient-centered, high-quality, affordable coverage is available for all, free clinics and other safety-net clinics will be here to provide care for Mr. G and others like him.

As I left the room, Mr. G. smiled and his daughter wiped her eyes and said, “Thank you. I make $14 an hour at my job and you lifted a weight off my chest that means so much to me and my family. I didn’t know how I could do it.” •

Marie Ghazal is CEO of the Rhode Island Free Clinic. Dr. Philip R. Rizzuto was recently honored as the clinic’s physician of the year.

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