VIMO News
VIMO ANNOUNCES AWARD
Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics (VIMO) announces that it has received the Washington Health Foundation's Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign award.
- The funds granted to VIMO will be used to enhance the clinic's ability to improve access to health care to the underinsured members of our community.
- VIMO provides services primarily to persons who cannot access health care due to the ever increasing cost of care.
- Most of the VIMO clinic's patients work and have an income level too high to receive assistance but cannot afford health care.
Governor Gregoire said:
"Over the past decade, we've seen Washington State's national health ranking slide downward, hitting an all-time low several years ago. Committed to improving Washington's status, the Washington Health Foundation (WHF), created the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign. It is now the largest civic engagement campaign for health in our state's history."
VIMO partners with OMC
OMC provides several vital links in support of VIMO's contribution to the Healthiest State Campaign.
- OMC provides significant funding for VIMO in house providers and medications.
- OMC provides the VIMO clinic facility. Building leased to VIMO for $1 per year.
- OMC provides significant laboratory and diagnostic services free to VIMO patients.
VIMO helps the community
- VIMO partners with the United Way, area Churches, local and national philanthropic organizations which assist in funding.
- VIMO partners with local physician and ancillary volunteer providers.
- Through such partnering VIMO helps the community by;
- Reducing health care costs by preventing unnecessary emergency room visits.
- Managing chronic care needs preventing major and expensive acute crisis intervention.
- Increasing the access to care for a medically underserved population.
- Assist qualified patients in finding regular health care.
- Assists in relieving the burden of uncompensated care in private health care practices and hospital facilities.
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CLINIC MANAGER ANNOUNCED
The following press release was published in the Peninsula Daily News on April 1, 2008.
Larry Little, director of the North Olympic Discovery Marathon, will assume the executive director post of the Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics Clinic.
He will replace departing administrator Gina Steinmetz, who will join her husband, Master Chief Petty Officer Dale Steinmetz, formerly commander of the cutter Wahoo, at his new assignment in Cape Cod, MA.
Gina Steinmetz made the announcement Monday at the weekly luncheon meeting of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce at the Red Lion Hotel.
Moments earlier, she had introduced John Melcher, as the new manager of the clinic, 909 Georgiana St., which serves uninsured and underinsured people.
The clinic operates in space donated by Olympic Medical Center - in return for diverting about 1,300 patients from OMC's emergency department.
The VIMO Clinic also prevents patients in the first stages of illness from progressing to crisis levels that are more difficult and more expensive to treat.
Little has directed the marathon from an event that drew 600 runners in 2003 to a competition that this spring will draw 2,000 people.
He also anchored a three-person presentation to the chamber of commerce Monday on the importance of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
The clinic currently is closed to all but established patients until "snowbird" doctors arrive from Southwestern cities. Volunteers in Medicine opened the facility in late summer 2006, replacing one run by Dr. Ed Hopfner and his wife, Phyllis, a registered nurse, at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
It was known as the PAARC Clinic for its sponsor, the Port Angeles Association of Religious Communities.
Paint The Clinic Day
Here are some photos from our very successful Paint the Clinic Day on February 20th. We are very grateful to crew members of the USCGC Wahoo and staff for painting the clinic, repairing the roof, cleaning up the yard, and moving items out of storage. They even agreed to "adopt" the clinic and provide their services again in the future. What a community serving bunch! Kathy Craven fed them pizza and Kathy Brown provided dollies and drop cloths. We all had a great time and the VIMO clinic looks forward to a long lasting relationship with the crew.
New Vice-President
We would like to welcome new Vice-President—Deb Reed. Former Vice-President, Sandy Long, decided to give up her position due to health reasons. Sandy will be greatly missed, and we want to thank her for her wonderful spirit of giving towards the VIMO Clinic!
United Way Dinner
We won first place again this year in the table decoration contest at the United Way dinner! Many thanks go to volunteers Kathy Craven, Sandy Long, Nancy Prince-Fox and Dale Steinmetz. These photos show Gina at our winning table, and with our new Board President, Kathy Brown.
VIMO Volunteers Clinic to Continue Patient Donation Program
The Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics (VIMO) Clinic is asking all patients to make a $5.00 donation each time they visit the clinic to help meet the needs of operating costs. If a patient is able to make a more significant donation, they will be encouraged to do so. The VIMO Clinic is the local non-profit organization that delivers quality health care to Clallam County's uninsured. "The staff will be asking all medical and behavioral health patients to consider this as donations make a big difference in keeping the clinic doors open. We are asking our patients to engage in this new plan because it is their clinic," states Gina Steinmetz, RN, Clinic Administrator. If patients are unable to make a monetary donation, staff and volunteers will find other ways they can contribute.
The VIMO Clinic is associated with Volunteers in Medicine Institute (VIMI), headquartered in Hilton Head, South Carolina. VIMI clinics offer free care to their patients by tapping the expertise of active and retired medical and community volunteers. The VIMO Clinic opened in 2005 and is a partner agency with United Way of Clallam County. Learn more by calling the Clinic at 457-4431.
