Health & Fitness: The Good Samaritan: Samaritan House's volunteers are key to delivering health care to the poor Health & Fitness: The Good Samaritan: Samaritan House's volunteers are key to delivering health care to the poor (September 08, 2004)

By John Flood
Special to the Almanac

Jose sits impassively on the examination table while Dr. Norman Rosenstock listens to his heartbeat. At age 35, the patient has hypertension.

Jose is from Mexico, and works as a dishwasher. He shares a house with six other men -- it's the only way to afford the rent in San Mateo County.

For the first time in his life, Jose is living away from his family, who live more than 3,000 miles away in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

His challenges are daunting: He doesn't speak English; he has few friends. He lacks the cultural bearings and social skills to navigate inside the American life. He lives with a medical condition that could kill him, and he has no health insurance. Plus, he earns a salary that puts him firmly in the category of "the working poor."

In spite of it all, he's grateful. "I'm doing very well, with the thanks of God; and the good doctors at Samaritan, they are very kind," he says.

Jose left his family in Mexico a year and a half ago to pursue the dream of a better life in the United States. One day, he says, he plans to save money and return to his family.

Thankfully, his medical care is worry-free because Jose will be treated at Samaritan House at no cost.

A lifeline

Jose is one of 8,000 patients who are treated at the Redwood City and San Mateo Samaritan House clinics each year.

"Sixty-five percent of our patients are Hispanic, and about 10 percent are Pacific Islanders," explains Dr. Rosenstock. "Among these two groups, we see a lot of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular problems. They suffer from situational adjustment. Many are away from their families for the first time. There is a high incidence of depression and anxiety," he says.

"All of our patients are hard-working, honest people, making minimum wage, and they have great trouble making ends meet. And they don't have insurance," says Dr. Rosenstock.

Free medical care is just one part of Samaritan House services. The nonprofit agency also offers counseling and case management; food and clothing; a homeless shelter; holiday assistance; and emergency rental assistance. All of it is free.

The only requirements for assistance are that the individual reside in San Mateo County; that his economic status is below the poverty line; and that he is excluded from MediCare and Medi-Cal and has no health insurance.

Established in 1974, Samaritan House's vision statement is simple: "To break the cycle of poverty in San Mateo County, one family at a time."

For San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon, the Samaritan House plays a vital role in health-care delivery in San Mateo County.

"Samaritan House is a very strong nonprofit agency with a very good track record of serving poor and low-income people, and they have met the needs of our poor community," he says. "Until we have broader health care reform, they are a very important part of the local delivery system."

For Dr. Rosenstock, the results are clear. Some of those receiving care at the clinic go on to achieve a degree of success that enables them to eventually pay for their own health insurance, he says. "It is very rewarding to see these people pick themselves up," he adds. "It's easy to put yourself out for those kinds of people."

A clean, well-lighted place

The San Mateo clinic is a new facility with twice the space of the previous San Mateo location.

As Dr. Rosenstock escorts me on a tour, his avuncular and friendly manner radiates to the staff volunteers. There are smiles and laughter. The spirit is infectious. The clinic looks no different from a private practice; and there are no signs of the downtrodden or indigent.

This is a complete clinic, with examination rooms, a pharmacy, two dental rooms, and a dental lab. If surgery is required, patients are sent to San Mateo County's hospital -- the San Mateo Medical Center -- or to Sequoia Hospital.

Almost every major medical specialty is offered: gynecology, breast cancer prevention, dermatology, diabetic care, endocrinology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, optometry, podiatry, and more.

And, if a patient requires additional care, he is referred to other doctors in the community who offer their services without charge.

Volunteers make it happen

Two-hundred medical professionals, including physicians, dentists and nurses, volunteer without charge. Another 75 volunteers help with administration and day-to-day activities. "The volunteers impressed me the most," Dr. Rosenstock says.

There are only eight paid staff members for both clinics.

With an annual budget of nearly $1 million, funding for the Samaritan House clinics comes from a variety of sources: individual and corporate donations; the Sequoia Healthcare District; and private foundations. The clinics receive almost no money from the federal government.

"Before the economic downturn in the Bay Area, individual contributions were 50 percent of our funding," explains Dr. Rosenstock. "Now they are 30 percent," he says.

But, he adds, with astute management, the shortfall has been replaced with foundation grants. "Foundation support has enabled us to continue our mission," he says.

The Sequoia Healthcare District plays an instrumental role in the Redwood City clinic by providing over 95 percent its financial needs, says Ben Leroi, grants manager at Samaritan House. "The San Mateo clinic budget is approximately $500,000 and most of it is paid for by individual donors and foundation grants," says Mr. Leroi.

"In 2004, Sequoia has provided $463,000 to the Redwood City clinic," says Kathleen Kane, Sequoia Healthcare District board president.

"I don't know of any other agency in San Mateo County that provides this level of services. ... This is for people who don't have a safety net," she says.

Information

Samaritan House Free Clinic of Redwood City
114-5th Ave., Redwood City 578-0400

Samaritan House Free Clinic of San Mateo
19 W. 39th Ave. San Mateo 347-1556

www.samaritanhouse.com

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