Multiple Health Conditions Discovered During Free Clinic for Uninsured People in New Orleans

Multiple Health Conditions Discovered During Free Clinic for Uninsured People
in New Orleans
Two More Are Planned in Little Rock and Kansas City

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizers of a free health clinic for
uninsured residents of Louisiana are pleased with its success today. Not only
did the clinic see 1,000 patients, it may have saved the lives of some sick
individuals. Many of the patients had not seen a physician since Hurricane
Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Volunteer physicians and other medical providers tended to the health care
needs of over 1,000 patients who attended the C.A.R.E. (Communities Are
Responding Everyday) Clinic at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New
Orleans. The clinic was organized by the National Association of Free Clinics
and Louisiana Free Clinic Association (NAFC).

"We saw a number of very sick patients today who have not had medical care for
many years," Doctor Corey Hebert, a New Orleans physician and one of the
clinic's medical directors said. "This clinic was a life saver for many people
who have no way to pay for their healthcare needs."

Corey went on to say, "It is important that this is the same facility where
people were dying four years ago and today we are giving them life." His
remarks were in reference to the aftermath of Katrina and the human crisis
that occurred at convention center.

"It was wonderful to provide free care to so many people in one day," Nicole
Lamoureux, executive director of the NAFC, said. "But it also was important
that we were able to connect a large number of these patients with free
clinics and other health care providers who can provide them with care on a
day-to-day basis."

The NAFC and the Louisiana Free Clinic Association sponsored the event. The
727 volunteers who participated included physicians, nurses, other medical
providers and non-medical individuals.

"I am very moved by all the physicians and other medical providers who
volunteered to make this C.A.R.E. Clinic such a success," Dr. Rani Whitfield,
M.D., said. Whitfield, a Baton Rouge physician, served as co-medical director
for the clinic. "The dedication to helping those need help was moving."

The clinic operated from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. today at no cost to patients
or taxpayers. Most of the patients registered before the event, but walk-ins
were seen on a first-come-first-served basis.

"We did good work today," Whitfield added. "It was good to connect many
people in need of medical care with doctors, nurses and others who can help
them on an ongoing basis."

This was the second massive free clinic the NAFC has sponsored. Over 1,700
patients received treatment at the first one, which was held in Houston in
September. Two more C.A.R.E. Clinics are planned in Little Rock on Nov. 21 and
Kansas City on Dec. 9-10.

"I'm looking forward to building on the successes in Houston and New Orleans
to help even more people," NAFC President Sheri Wood, who is based in Kansas
City, said.

More information about the NAFC and the Little Rock and Kansas City events is
available online at: http://freeclinics.us.

New Orleans CARE Clinic Preliminary Numbers

-- 68% of patients seen seek medical care in the emergency room or do not
seek care when ill

-- 53% of those seen have not seen a doctor in more than one year with
many
not seeing a doctor since Katrina

-- 90% of patients seen have more than one diagnosis

-- Hypertension and diabetes being the most prevalent

-- 55% of those seen were women and 45% were men

SOURCE National Association of Free Clinics

Nicole Lamoureux, +1-703-577-7204, nlamoureux@freeclinics.us