Last weekend I had the privilege of supervising University of Miami Miller School of Medicine students at a free public health screening in Pompano Beach, Florida. The screening was sponsored by the medical school, with the assistance of community leaders, and held in a local public school. The program organization, recruitment of student and faculty volunteers and management of the program was undertaken and implemented by the students. It is one of several programs of this nature undertaken by these students in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County Florida.
Stations were set up to screen for vital signs, weight, body mass index, glucose and cholesterol. A women’s center with breast exam, cervical pap smears and dexa heel bone density tests was available. There was an ophthalmology station and a dermatology section was available with fellows from the world class dermatology program at the University of Miami. Pediatric and neurology sections were available as well as mental health screening. The program was enhanced by the participation of the Broward County Health Department and numerous other community organizations.
After the patients rotated through each station they exited at a checkout area manned by students and faculty. The students organized all the data for the patient participants, explained what their exam findings meant and established mechanisms for the patients to receive follow-up care in the public health setting.
This was the fifth year I have participated as a voluntary faculty member. I noticed the patients were younger, sicker and presenting with more social and health problems than in previous years. Several times during the screenings, the fire rescue squad was called to transport individuals to the hospital because their initial entry into the health system detected a serious enough condition to require immediate hospitalization. The patients were proud, hard working American citizens of all races, colors and creeds who were devastated by the recession with loss of jobs and health insurance benefits. For many, this screening was their first trip to the doctor in years. Although well received, this screening was the most rudimentary of safety nets available for this community from the health care field.
Some 225 patients were examined in an eight hour period. I was proud of the students for a job well done. After it was over I went home and took time to read the local newspaper. There was a front page article about how our new governor had just proposed a budget which cuts all funding for primary medical care at public health facilities. I wondered how many of those patients we referred for follow-up to public health facilities would now have to wait until next year’s screening program to obtain it?
I wish cost cutting conservative politicians and our governor had spent the day interviewing, examining and counseling the patients I saw today.
I wonder how they would react to a frightened fifteen year old hoping to get a pregnancy test and too poor to afford a store bought test? I wonder what they would say to a 5th grade teacher who had lost her home to foreclosure and couldn’t afford to pay an ophthalmologist in the private setting to check her glaucoma. I wonder what Governor Scott and the Tea Party would say to a 50 year old former triathlon performer who lost his construction and landscape business during the recession, lost his health insurance, gained forty pounds due to the stress of life and was now unemployed, diabetic and hypertensive with no access to health care?
It’s easy to pontificate about the flaws of health care reform until you sit down with the sickest and most vulnerable and realize they are no different than you and I.
Steven Reznick is an internal medicine physician and can be reached at Boca Raton Concierge Doctor.
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