Mission East Dallas It takes teamwork

by Connie Webster, DCMS director of community service

From its beginning, teamwork has been the strength of Mission East Dallas County Health Ministries, as volunteers combined resources to make the opening of the clinic a reality. The clinic was born from the outreach efforts of Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church, which sought to meet the challenging needs of 50,000 indigent people in its multicultural community. The clinic is near Eastfield College on the Dallas-Mesquite border, at 2918 Oates Dr.

For every challenge the clinic faced in opening its doors to the community, a solution surfaced from one of the many volunteers. Jenny Williams, RN, MED executive director, says she was not surprised when, after months of searching for a medical director before the clinic opened, Sharon E. Tucker, MD, offered her services. Dr Tucker says she had volunteered in the past at a downtown community health clinic, but when she found out through another physician about MED opening in the community where she practices, she decided to call Ms Williams.

"I wanted to make an impact on the underserved people of my own community," Dr Tucker says. After putting in a full day at her busy family practice, it is the needs of the community that compel her to volunteer her time.

Dr Tucker says that one of the benefits of volunteering is that she doesn't have all the operational hassles that usually accompany operating a medical practice. "I simply can enjoy seeing patients and meeting their needs," she says.

Dallas internist J. Paul Sanders, MD, also helps the clinic, but not in the traditional role of an on-site volunteer. One of his employees told him about the clinic's need for pharmaceutical supplies. So, he helps the clinic by asking pharmaceutical representatives who call on his practice to donate medications. He's also written letters to pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the clinic in an attempt to meet its ongoing need for medications and medical supplies. He has found that the pharmaceutical companies have been very willing to help and some reps have made special trips to their warehouses to collect the needed supplies.

Dr Sanders says the need for pharmaceuticals is a gigantic unmet need of the community. "Patients who are economically disadvantaged find it difficult to afford the medications they need to get better," he says. "And if they are uninsured, the challenge is compounded."

Because many people in the community struggle with the challenges of basic daily living, medical care is on the bottom of their list of priorities. Most patients either go without care or use an emergency room as a primary care home.

The Mission East Dallas County Health Ministries clinic hopes its holistic approach of preventive health care and early intervention will reduce the patients' need to receive medical treatment for primary care issues in an emergency room setting. The clinic offers primary health care, basic dental care, medications, counseling, immunizations, diabetic services, and wound care. White Rock Center of Hope works with the clinic to provide food, clothing, and limited financial assistance. The clinic also works closely with Parkland's Community Oriented Primary Care health centers to address ongoing health needs.

Have you been looking for an opportunity to give back to the community? Maybe you don't have time to volunteer in the evening, but could help the clinic, as Dr Sanders does, by assisting with its ongoing need for medications and other supplies. As MED volunteers have learned, every team member is important to the success of the clinic.

If you would like to be part of the volunteer team at MED, contact Connie Webster, DCMS director of community service, at 214-948-3622 or connie@dallas-cms.org.