Local health care professionals and volunteers will provide medical, vision and dental services at a free health clinic at the Bald Eagle Area Middle School and High School this Saturday and Sunday.
The clinic will be held by the Remote Access Medical Volunteer Corps (RAM), a mobile medical nonprofit that hosts pop-ups across the United States and internationally. According to RAM clinic coordinator Brad Sands, its goal is to bridge the gap between health care access and those in need of care.
He said people in many of the communities they serve face barriers to medical care for different reasons.
“Sometimes they may not have access, maybe there is not a doctor around that they can get to,” Sands said. “Maybe it is a financial thing, maybe they’re on a fixed income and are unable to afford certain things.
Doctors, dentists and ophthalmologists will see patients, but having a medical license is not a requirement to be a volunteer. The clinic also has community members help with data entry, picking and fitting glasses, and translating other languages.
Sands has served as a part of RAM for the last three years. He said that seeing the impact of the pop-up clinics has been a rewarding experience.
“It’s not just about the care, but also the community that comes out to deliver the care. It’s wonderful to see people helping their neighbors and helping each other out,” Sands said.
The clinic is open to patients of all ages and does not require insurance or IDs. It will open at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The clinic closing time on Saturday will be based on capacity. On Sunday, it will end in the early afternoon.
Currently RAM is looking for more local dental professionals to help at this weekend’s clinic.
More information on how to volunteer can be found on the RAM website.