University of Virginia Health System

U.VA. MEDICAL STAFF PREPARES TO HELP PEOPLE OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

Preparations are underway by medical personnel from the University of Virginia Health System to help with the Remote Area Medical Clinic in Wise, Va. on July 20-22. The clinic, which will be held at the Lonesome Pine Airport, provides free medical care and patient education to the people of rural southwest Virginia where medical services are not readily available. This is the second year of the clinic, but the first year of involvement by the staff at U.Va. Last year, the clinic provided dental and vision exams, but will offer more comprehensive medical services this year.

Dr. Claudette Dalton, assistant dean of medical education at U.Va. and coordinator of the Charlottesville contingent, said that 65 members of the U.Va. medical staff will see an estimated 3,000 patients during the three-day clinic. Medical equipment, supplies and services will be donated by U.Va. as well as housing and transportation for the volunteers from U.Va.

This is a huge effort the doctors are putting forth, Dalton said. The staff is basically designing this and brainstorming on how to handle the logistics. Each group has done an enormous amount of planning to get the right kind of equipment and supplies down there. There is quite a need for this kind of service only five and half hours away.

Organizations in southwest Virginia that will help facilitate the clinic are the National Guard, the Lion's Club, Health Department, St. Mary's Health Wagon and local churches.

For more information about the clinic, please call Dr. Claudette Dalton of the University of Virginia Health System (434) 924-2629.

July 12, 2001