Many healthcare professionals who are retired or nearing retirement may regret the loss of professional identity and collegiality, as well as usefulness, that accompanies retirement. Golf, gardening, and travel may satisfy some during the “Golden Years,” but eventually many would like something more. Returning to what they do best, practicing their profession and helping others by volunteering in Free Clinics offers such an opportunity.
The nation's 1700 Free Clinics are community-supported nonprofit organizations staffed predominantly by actively practicing and retired volunteers. They offer a friendly, caring, and hassle-free environment to provide care, and the time for meaningful interaction with patients and colleagues. They serve only the uninsured, typically working adults. Access to specialists, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals are usually offered. Many were founded by physicians or other professionals. Most are in constant need of volunteers.[1,2]
Barriers to volunteerism in Free Clinics, such as malpractice coverage, are now being addressed through legislation, including the Federal Tort Claims Act, which provides federal protection to volunteers in qualified clinics.[3] And some states, for example, North Carolina, now offer special “Limited Volunteer Licenses.”
The pool of potential volunteers is large with approximately 164,000 US physicians and 510,000 nurses over age 65.[4] Engaging this valuable and largely untapped resource is the mission of TAP-IN, a new program that links senior health professionals to volunteer opportunities in Free Clinics.[5]
For those of you interested in learning more about volunteering or locating a Free Clinic nearby, you can do so by going to www.TAP-IN.org. We believe that you will find that “giving and receiving is best.”
That's my opinion. I'm Dr. Bill Straub, Co-Director of TAP-IN.
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Readers are encouraged to respond to George Lundberg, MD, Editor of MedGenMed, for the editor's eye only or for possible publication via email: glundberg@medscape.net
References
- 1.Salinsky E. Necessary but not sufficient? Physician volunteerism and the health care safety net. NHPF background paper. National Health Policy Forum. Paper presented at: George Washington University; April 2, 2004; Washington, DC. Available at: http://www.nhpf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Details&key=500 Accessed April 13, 2006.
- 2.US Department of Health and Human Services. A Review of the Free Clinics Network. A Report to Congress. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2005. [Google Scholar]
- 3. Federal Tort Claims Act Coverage of Free Clinic Health Care Professionals. Bureau of Primary Health Care. September 2004. Available at: http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/freeclinicsftca/application.htm Accessed April 12, 2006.
- 4.United States Health Personnel Factbook. June 2003. US Department of Health & Human Services, Bureau of Health Professions. Available at: http://www.bhpr.hrsa.gov Accessed April 12, 2006.
- 5.Lundberg G. Staffing the free medical clinics. MedGenMed. 2004;6:39. Available at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/480345 Accessed April 12, 2006. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
