During this Thanksgiving season I just wanted to thank all of you who have been following my post. I pray you all have a blessed holiday, and during these challenging times your lives remain blessed! Happy Thanksgiving to all! Kathi

Now that Thanksgiving is around the corner I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have posted to my Blog and have given such great "food for thought" regarding alternative forms to provide health care for all in this great country. I hope all of you have a Blessed Thanksgiving. During this season of being blessed if you run across a patient who may benefit from some help, feel free to refer them to any of the low cost clinics posted one this site. Be blessed, and many thanks! Kathi.

What a week readers! A new President-Elect, who promises change. Dallas passed a bill to renovate Parkland Hospital to better serve the community, it is a time for us health care workers to have hope that we can provide better care for all. But as health care provider's we also know that change takes time and is often difficult. In Present-Elect Obama's address Tuesday night he spoke to the crowds that change may take time, "it may take this administration to implement the programs..." As we saw with prior administrations Health Care reform may or may not happen. I wish this and any administration the best when trying to tackle this issue. The health of our citizens is paramount to the health of our nation. With that said, I hope we as nurses, and health care provider's will continue to support organizations that offer low cost health services, and those who look at innovative ways to promote health. Last week I discussed Minute Clinics, this week I would like to spend a minute discussing the charity work of hospital based systems. Last week Presbyterian Dallas and Plano published an article in the Dallas Morning News about Presbycare a charitable system that helps covers the costs of indigent patients who cannot cover their hospital charges. During my internship at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas (ED) I have learned about the Worth Street Clinic. A low cost clinic that offers medical care and medications for the uninsured. They also have walk-in hours Monday-Fridays in which patients can be seen for acute illness and medication refills all at a very low cost for service. So as our new government tackles health care reform, I ask you to support organizations such as faith-based clinics, low-cost clinics, hospitals providing charitable services, and innovators such as CVS. They are all working hard to deliver quality care, with easy access to all, at little or low cost. So all Americans can afford health care. Together I believe we can make a difference.

Tomorrow the country will be voting for a new President, and many new Senate and Congress Seats. Also in Dallas the citizens will be voting to build or not build a new Parkland Hospital. The outcomes all these elections will effect millions of lives and healthcare policy both here in Dallas and of course nationally. However I worry what are we going to do to care for those underserved and needy individual's until "Change" occurs, or expanded services at Parkland become a reality? The literature regarding Parklands expansion states that the first PHASE of expansion will not be done until 2012, and if history has proven true it takes at least 2 years for a President to see his social programs become active.
I have been talking about the importance about Faith-Based and Free Clinics and as volunteers keeping these organizations alive with our professional talents for the past months. However ther are other options I would like to introduce that is being powered by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistant's that give the consumer low-cost options for primary care. The CVS corporation has created Minute Clinics within their stores. These clinics treat low acuity illness, and promote primary care at affordable costs. The Mid-level providers follow National Guidelines, and are supervised by Physicians to ensure quality, safe primary care. I was impressed looking at their "price menu" common ilnesses such as otitis media can be treated for $59.00. I was also thrilled to see that diagnostic testing for chronic illness screening was also offered one can be screened for hyperlipemia counselled, and referred to a low-cost clinic for management. Readers if you have a moment please check out the Minute clinic link, they are doing inoovative work! http://minuteclinic.com/en/USA/Treatment-and-Cost.aspx.
I do hope you all consider volunteering, with the current economic enviroment her in Dallas and the Nation, there will be increased need for medical care and services. Thanks for reading, and be sure to vote tomorrow!