St. Clare Medical Outreach
St. Clare Medical Outreach is a mobile operation which provides free, quality, culturally sensitive, compassionate, and comprehensive primary care services to culturally diverse and uninsured adults in Baltimore City. Using a 35-foot coach outfitted as a physician’s office, a dedicated staff of physicians, registered nurses, certified nurse practitioners, health associate, pharmacy staff, a community social worker and volunteers travel three days a week to two sites in Baltimore City to provide free health services and medications.
The staff is bilingual in English and Spanish to meet the needs of the patients it serves at the Hispanic Apostolate and Legal Immigration Center in Fells Point, and the Franciscan Center in Charles Village. An Office Coordinator trilingual in English, Spanish and Greek, coordinates patient referrals to St. Joseph Medical Center services and affiliated specialists.
Health services provided directly by the St. Clare Medical Outreach staff include:
- preventative and primary medical care
- laboratory and diagnostic testing services
- access to free or low cost medications
- influenza, pneumonia, and tetanus immunizations
- referral for specialty care for established patients
- health education
- assistance with referrals and applications for benefited health care
The most common health conditions treated by St. Clare clinical providers include: diabetes, obesity, hypertension, GERD, back pain, arthritis, skin conditions, headaches, upper respiratory infections, asthma, and gall bladder disease. Patients requiring further diagnostic testing, procedures, surgeries, or inpatient care are referred to St. Joseph Medical Center where care is provided as part of Community Benefit. Specialists affiliated with St. Joseph Medical Center provide services pro bono. Persons seeking treatment for mental health disorders, obstetrical and gynecologic conditions, substance abuse, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases are referred to other resources in the community.
Since the beginning of primary care in 2000, over 14,000 uninsured persons have been able to get back on their feet and turn their lives around after having their health restored thanks to the care provided by the staff of St. Clare Medical Outreach and the services of St .Joseph Medical Center.
In 2002, St. Clare Medical Outreach received the Baltimore City Mayor's Award for Community Service. In 2003 it was awarded the Spirit of Excellence Award for Community by Modern Health Care. It was also named a finalist in the Daily Record's Healthcare Heroes Awards in the community category. In 2004, St. Clare Medical Outreach received the Maryland Hispanic Heritage Award from the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs.
