More volunteer medical professionals needed to meet growing demand for help at free clinics

PITTSBURGH — Free clinics can give medical and dental care, but as Channel 11′s Gordon Loesch found out, more medical professionals are needed to meet the growing demand.

At the Neighborhood Resilience Project’s free health center in the Hill District, volunteers and staff provide hope and healthcare.

“The physicians who serve here, the clinicians, the nurses the pharmacists who serve here, they are all volunteering their time,” Father Paul Abernathy with the Neighborhood Resilience Project explained.

Staffers say the volunteers provide more than just medical help to the uninsured, they also form relationships that lead to healthier lives.

“We want to really start to get to you know you, know your family members and understand that what are the challenges that you’re facing an the obstacles to your health and well-being,” Kari Rossetti, an administrator, said.

As much help as the clinic provides, the need is great for more doctors, dentists and medical volunteers.

“We don’t have enough,” Abernathy said.

The center is part of the Pennsylvania Charitable Healthcare Coalition, which is launching a state-wide call to get more medical workers to give their time to free clinics around the state.

“The number of uninsured Pennsylvanians has really increased this past year,” Kristen Rapp with the Pennsylvania Charitable Healthcare Coalition said. “More than 500,000 Pennsylvanians lost their coverage through Medicaid.”

Clinics like these don’t just help the uninsured, in a way, they help us all.

“When people are turning to hospitals for regular care rather than crisis care? You know, it drives up the cost for everybody,” Rapp said.

A little time could go a long way for everyone involved.

For more information on volunteering, click here.

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