Opening a free clinic is one of the most humanitarian ways of giving back to the community. The community particularly the low income citizens are searching for means to provide easy and affordable healthcare to. This has come as a result of employers reducing employee’s benefits due to a failing economy this in turn causing the cost of obtaining a medical insurance cover very expensive. Opening a free clinic may stand to achieve and benefit the community by providing these primary medical attention to the underprivileged in the community. The development of a free medical clinic solely depends on the support of the community at large. It takes a group of self -driven and compassionate individuals with a vision, aspiration and commitment to help the uninsured. Nevertheless, starting a clinic may not be simple as it takes numerous procedures that may include; sourcing supplies, legal arrangements, recruiting of volunteers, identifying viable funding raising mechanisms and identifying a reliable consultancy team that will help in accounting, insurance and legal matters. This however depends on whether the clinic will be individually owned or collaboration with organizations such as Volunteers in Health Care (VIH) and Volunteers in Medicine that assist societies to start free clinics.
Economic status and its effect on health care:
Low socioeconomic status (SES) has its links to low income. People with low income lack medical insurance covers, have poor quality health care and seek health care less often or when they do it’s an emergency (Swartz, 1994). Taken together, current research suggests that, although numerous issues affect patient gratification of the healthcare system, SES is among the most significant factor simply because it commands a great deal of the health care system where people receive care. Research also shows that while low-income residents have many complaints about their health care, middle-income respondents have few Thus,
References: http://www.ehow.com/how_5209635_start-health-clinic.html O 'Malley AS, F. C. (2002, Jul-Aug: 12(4): 191-203.). Womens Health Issues.The mismatch between urban women 's preferences for and experiences with primary care. Swartz, K. (1994). DYNAMICS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE, Don 't let numbers fool you. JAMA.