Volunteers wearing blue St. Mary’s Medical Center nursing scrubs greeted guests at the front doors Friday evening.
But these doors weren’t those to a hospital or to a health clinic. They were the doors of the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel, and the “patients” were those attending the inaugural Scopes for Hope gala. The benefit aimed to raise $40,000 for the Jackson County Free Health Clinic, which provides assistance to uninsured adults with chronic illnesses and diseases.
Dr. Bridget McCandless, an Independence internal medicine specialist, cofounded the Jackson County Free Health Clinic with Dr. Dan Purdom in April 2000. The gala, McCandless said, aimed to recognize and to celebrate the staff and volunteers who’ve helped the clinic progress in its nearly 10-year history.
“We started with some paper clips and 3 by 5 cards and some hopes that we’d be able to help people,” she said. “We’ve been busy ever since. It takes hundreds of people to make this go.”
The funds raised Friday night will go toward possibly expanding the clinic’s hours of operation and general medical supplies, as well as the salary of the clinic coordinator, Jayne Long, who is the Jackson County Free Health Clinic’s only full-time paid employee.
With the recent economic recession, the clinic has faced limitations in its patient intake because of its existing hours of operation, McCandless said. Despite widespread financial challenges, residents have been willing to donate and to support the clinic, she said.
The clinic serves about 400 patients annually. All patients are chronically ill with existing medical conditions, and about 80 percent have five or more medical diseases, McCandless said. Patients must qualify for care, which includes falling at below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
“We hope that we don’t keep patients forever,” she said. “Our goal is to be able to keep them until they can get on health insurance through their employer, to be able to transition them to Medicare and Medicaid. We have some movement on and off of our population.”
Health care is an ongoing debate in communities across the United States and in Congress as Washington, D.C., aims to reform health insurance and health care affordability.
“We are a poor substitute for having comprehensive care,” McCandless said. “We do a great job with what we have, but it’s still serves patients well to have the full range of services available to them. While we do a good job with what we have, we are not able to offer them everything.”
Independence residents Barbara and Don Potts were honored at Friday night’s gala for their efforts in starting the free health clinic. Carol Sue Bass, the event’s chairwoman and a Lee’s Summit resident, wore a white doctor’s coat Friday night, complete with a decorated tongue depressor, gauze, syringe and stethoscope.
More than 400 people planned to attend Friday’s no-frills event, which featured area doctors playing piano for the evening’s entertainment. Bass said the Jackson County Free Health Clinic aims to help solve the health care issue “one day at a time, one community at a time.”
“It’s a national, huge problem,” Bass said, “and it’s not going to just take government. It’s going to take everybody to be on board.”
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Volunteers wearing blue St. Mary’s Medical Center nursing scrubs greeted guests at the front doors Friday evening.
But these doors weren’t those to a hospital or to a health clinic. They were the doors of the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel, and the “patients” were those attending the inaugural Scopes for Hope gala. The benefit aimed to raise $40,000 for the Jackson County Free Health Clinic, which provides assistance to uninsured adults with chronic illnesses and diseases.
Dr. Bridget McCandless, an Independence internal medicine specialist, cofounded the Jackson County Free Health Clinic with Dr. Dan Purdom in April 2000. The gala, McCandless said, aimed to recognize and to celebrate the staff and volunteers who’ve helped the clinic progress in its nearly 10-year history.
“We started with some paper clips and 3 by 5 cards and some hopes that we’d be able to help people,” she said. “We’ve been busy ever since. It takes hundreds of people to make this go.”
The funds raised Friday night will go toward possibly expanding the clinic’s hours of operation and general medical supplies, as well as the salary of the clinic coordinator, Jayne Long, who is the Jackson County Free Health Clinic’s only full-time paid employee.
With the recent economic recession, the clinic has faced limitations in its patient intake because of its existing hours of operation, McCandless said. Despite widespread financial challenges, residents have been willing to donate and to support the clinic, she said.
The clinic serves about 400 patients annually. All patients are chronically ill with existing medical conditions, and about 80 percent have five or more medical diseases, McCandless said. Patients must qualify for care, which includes falling at below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
“We hope that we don’t keep patients forever,” she said. “Our goal is to be able to keep them until they can get on health insurance through their employer, to be able to transition them to Medicare and Medicaid. We have some movement on and off of our population.”
Health care is an ongoing debate in communities across the United States and in Congress as Washington, D.C., aims to reform health insurance and health care affordability.
“We are a poor substitute for having comprehensive care,” McCandless said. “We do a great job with what we have, but it’s still serves patients well to have the full range of services available to them. While we do a good job with what we have, we are not able to offer them everything.”
Independence residents Barbara and Don Potts were honored at Friday night’s gala for their efforts in starting the free health clinic. Carol Sue Bass, the event’s chairwoman and a Lee’s Summit resident, wore a white doctor’s coat Friday night, complete with a decorated tongue depressor, gauze, syringe and stethoscope.
More than 400 people planned to attend Friday’s no-frills event, which featured area doctors playing piano for the evening’s entertainment. Bass said the Jackson County Free Health Clinic aims to help solve the health care issue “one day at a time, one community at a time.”
“It’s a national, huge problem,” Bass said, “and it’s not going to just take government. It’s going to take everybody to be on board.”
