In June of 2003, Nancy Franks of Chattanooga went on a Vision 21 retreat with fellow members and staff of the Ridgedale Baptist Church. In a prophetic twist of fate, Nancy was placed in the Prayer and Ministry group with three other church members. After some discussion, Nancy found herself sitting in silence with the group, waiting for the others in the room to finish their sessions. Nancy remembers it well, “We finished talking and wrote everything down and it got quiet. I decided, at that moment, it’s now or never, and I told my group the Jack McConnell Story.”
As a retired physician living in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Dr. Jack McConnell noticed two things about his community: there were too many people living with no health insurance and there were a large number of retired physicians living in the popular coastal resort area. Unable to sit back and ignore the uninsured members of his community, Dr. McConnell decided to tap into the surplus of retired healthcare professionals and create a healthcare clinic that offered quality medical care to the uninsured members of the community free of charge. With the help of several retired physicians, Dr. McConnell opened the first Volunteers in Medicine clinic in 1993. The clinic is fueled almost entirely by volunteers, both medical and non-medical. Word of Dr. McConnell’s innovative healthcare model spread and, to date, the Volunteers In Medicine Institute has helped to open more than 55 clinics throughout the United States.
The story of Dr. McConnell inspired Nancy Franks and her husband when they visited Hilton Head to see the clinic, “My husband and I went to see Dr. McConnell’s clinic to nominate him for a national award, not to start a clinic.” Fate, it seems, had other plans. The response to Nancy’s story at the retreat was overwhelming. After presenting it to her small group, Nancy was asked to make a three-minute presentation to the entire retreat, including her pastor, Dr. Bill Owens. “I told them that this project was much bigger than our church, and we needed to think outside the box. It had to be a community effort. Bill asked for a report after the speech and that is what got the ball rolling.”
With the help of churches, businesses and the community at large, the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic Chattanooga, Inc. opened its doors to serve patients in May of 2005. There are a mere four paid staff members at the VIM Clinic. Everyone else is a volunteer, including Nancy Franks who serves as President of the clinic.
Marilyn Fore, RN, the volunteer coordinator, touts the tireless dedication of the VIM volunteer staff with pride, “They don’t cancel unless they absolutely have to.” Marilyn is the go-to person for anyone that is interested in volunteering to help at the clinic. The VIM staff is always seeking volunteers and battling the misconception that only those with a medical background are needed. “A lot of people think that we can only use medical volunteers but that is not true. Some people come to help with the newsletter, some to make calls to patients, and some to greet.” There are also many volunteers who work during non-clinic hours scanning documents and doing clerical tasks.
Volunteers are the heart of the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. They fill the clinic with warmth that you don’t often find in the healthcare community. Walking through the doors of the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic is more like walking into a good friend’s house than walking into a doctor’s office. There is a greeter at the entrance who opens the door for you and finds out your name and your reason for coming. On this day the greeter is Diane Adams. Diane is a faithful volunteer with an impressive greeting resume. She was the Southern regional winner of the Wal-Mart Greeter Award where she worked as a greeter for years. Before she married she was a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines. She is here because she wants to be, not because she is getting paid. Perhaps that is what makes her so approachable. Diane directs each person to the proper area with a warm smile and a firm handshake.
With only one nurse practitioner on staff, the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic’s circle of care is fueled by their many dedicated volunteer physicians and nurses. Dr. John Ellis, a retired family practice physician, has volunteered at the clinic since it opened its doors in 2005. Dr. Ellis believes that the VIM Clinic fills a vital need in the Chattanooga community, “Lots of people don’t have insurance or many assets and this place provides a way for them to get treated.”
Dr. Robert Bowers, a recipient of Memorial Hospital’s 2005 Humanitarian of the Year Award and Tennessee Physician of the Year by the TMA, serves as the volunteer Medical Director of the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. Dr. Bowers explains his position, “My role is primarily to enlist doctors and nurses to provide care and make sure the care is as good as we can give. We provide really good healthcare to the sick in this community and it is not just routine care. We see sick people with multi-system problems.” Dr. Bowers believes that VIM Chattanooga, Inc. differs from the traditional healthcare environment in two major ways, “One, it’s run by volunteers. That makes a big difference. People are there because they want to be there. They want to help people. Two, the clinic was started with the churches so there are religious overtones. Each day starts with prayer. This encourages a very caring type of attitude among all of the people at the clinic.” Dr. Bowers is passionate about the clinic and its contribution to the Chattanooga community, “I hope the community understands what a great asset this place is to the community. We are there to see people with no access to healthcare. We keep people out of the ER’s and hospitals.”
Some members of the community, particularly the patients, are very open about their appreciation of the clinic. Sheillia Dwight struggled with her medical care for a long time before discovering the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. She suffers from fibromyalgia and restless leg syndrome along with complications from an injury. She has found the care at VIM to be exceptional. “I love the place. I have a wonderful relationship with everyone at the clinic.” When asked what she would do if she couldn’t turn to VIM for healthcare, Sheillia was quick to respond, “Cry. I don’t have any insurance. I can’t get insurance that I can afford. I thank God for the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic.”
Jerry Bowers is another grateful patient. He discovered VIM after losing his Tenncare and seeking healthcare advice from his friends. Jerry could not be happier with the care he receives, “The place is beautiful and the doctors and nurses are wonderful.” He has noticed marked improvements in his health since he started visiting the clinic in the summer of 2005, “I’ve gained weight since I started coming and am feeling great.”
What started out as Nancy Franks’ admiration for Dr. Jack McConnell and his inspiring healthcare philosophy became a community-held dream and then, in May of 2005, a reality. Nancy Franks and the generous people of the Chattanooga Community have helped the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic realize its purpose of bringing high quality medical care to those in the community without health insurance. The patients are not charged for the medical care that they receive at the clinic. VIM does not receive any government funding; the clinic is supported entirely by community donations of time, money and tireless dedication. It is a beacon of hope in the Chattanooga community and, as Dr. Bowers said, it should be appreciated by everyone.