CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF THE VOLUNTEER ORDER OF MALTA CLINIC OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 2019 ANNUAL REPORT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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2 0 1 9 : C E L E B R AT I N G THE SPIRIT OF THE VOLUNTEER
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CARING WITH C O M PA S S I O N
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PLANNING FOR BROADER I M PA C T
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A Message from Our President
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ABOUT THE CLINIC History, Mission and Vision
I N C R E A S I N G H E A LT H CARE ACCESS Services and Specialties
MEETING A GROWING DEMAND By the Numbers
PAY I N G I T F O R WA R D A Perspective from Ron Connolly, RN, FNP
POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS Service at a Glance
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A Conversation with Volunteer Joy Umeh, DNP
Previewing the 2020-2025 Clinic Strategic Plan
AMPLIFYING OUR VOICE Enhanced Clinic Communications
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T H E 1 1 T H A N N UA L CHAMPIONS GALA
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S I LV E R C H A L I C E AWA R D H O N O R E E S P OT L I G H T
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CARING FOR PAT I E N T N E E D S
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FUNDING CLINIC O P E R AT I O N S
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A Night to Remember
L.J. Michael Lambert, KM
Patient Diagnoses
Financial Overview
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A Summary of Support
THREADS OF HOPE AWA R D Honoring Thomas Wallace, M.D., KM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
B U I L D I N G S U P P O RT
PRESIDENT
Celebrating Friends
John Christian, Esq., KM
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G I V I N G R E P O RT
S E C R E TA R Y
RE-DISCOVERING THE POWER OF HEALING
William J. Cumbelich, KM
An Interview with Volunteer Louis Giorgi, M.D.
TREASURER
John Hallett, Prov. V P O F E X T E R N A L A F FA I R S
L.J. Michael Lambert, KM
Elizabeth Bernard, Esq, DM Sara K. Cumbelich, DM Dan Field, M.D., KM Charlotte Kiesel, DM Michael Matly, M.D., Prov. Timothy McInerney, Esq., KM Rick A. Medeiros, KM Louis M. Meunier, KM John Rengel, KM Thomas Wallace, M.D., KM Charles V. Wirth, Prov.
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2019
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2019 CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF THE VOLUNTEER A ME SSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
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Simply put: This pandemic has placed the mission of our Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California in such high definition that I am more committed, emboldened, confident and humbled than I have ever been during my many years of service on this Board. Why?
The crisis has prompted our Board to vigorously explore the power and potential of telemedicine, thanks to the help of our corporate partner Kareo. Kareo’s expertise has been integral in transitioning the Clinic from paper to electronic medical records, and now will take us to the next level in finding ways to use virtual technologies to improve and broaden access to care.
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Never has the concept and need for an integrated public health strategy been more critical.
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Never has health care delivery and those who heed the call to deliver it been more on the hearts and minds of each of us.
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Never has the vulnerability of the underserved been more evident and inextricably linked with the social fabric that binds all of us together.
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Never has the need to honor the social contract we all have with each other, regardless of our economic status or life circumstance, been more clearly demonstrated. And never has the impact and importance of our volunteers, the Clinic’s lifeblood, and the lifeline for our patients, been more worthy of acknowledgment and thanks.
While we will continue with our highly successful and enjoyable Champions Gala, we are looking at new ways to connect more often with our donors and partners. We are planning to convene smaller, salon-style events and programs, where we can connect with world-class medical experts, to share and receive information and forge even stronger relationships. Reflecting on the past year, we had the most successful fundraising event in our history, raising more than $500,000 while celebrating the spirit of the volunteer. Prior to that event, our Board member, Michael Matly, M.D., was inspired to connect us with his former colleagues at the Mayo Clinic. We are now working with Mayo to provide the Clinic with patient education materials, in multiple languages. This is a proud moment for us, and a rare partnership that will help our volunteer physicians and nurses provide even more guidance
and follow-up with patients, with the benefit of the world-class researchers and physicians in Rochester, MN. These and other powerful stories are detailed in this report, a source of inspiration and hope for our collective futures. We also are pleased to share highlights from our recently approved Strategic Plan, a five-year course of action that will focus our energy and resources, including expanding opportunities for spiritual growth and volunteerism.
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This crisis has focused our Board on future opportunities and needs as never before. While we had to close the Clinic early-on to protect the health and safety of our patients and staff, our community partners at Alameda County Health Services and Highland Hospital stepped up immediately to fill the gap – a strong, growing and valued partnership.
It is an honor for me to serve as president, and work alongside all our volunteers and staff members who nobly and selflessly serve our patients and communities. I am confident that although we are in trying times, within each of us we will find blessings. That is my prayer for each of you, and for our Clinic, a true “Miracle on 21st Street.”
Sincerely,
John Christian, Esq., KM Oakland, California May 2020
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As I write this letter to our wonderful and generous Clinic community, we are still reeling from the greatest health care crisis of our lifetimes, COVID-19. While this annual report serves to memorialize and communicate the incredible work our volunteers, partners, donors and Board members have done over the previous 12 months, this unparalleled moment in time must frame this message.
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ABOUT THE CLINIC
A LEGACY OF SERVICE The Clinic was first envisioned in 2005 by the Bishop of Oakland, Allen Vigneron and the President of the Western Association of the Order of Malta, Richard Madden. Rising from the Order of Malta’s commitment to practice charity to the sick and the poor, both men saw the opportunity to positively impact the health and well-being of the uninsured and the needy of the A SIMPLE Greater Bay Area. In 2008, several devoted Knights and Dames of the Order, under the leadership of the first President of the Clinic Bill McInerney, partnered with the Western Association and the Diocese of Oakland to create the very successful Order of Malta Clinic.
MISSION
Our mission is to provide medical care for people in need.
The Clinic has operated continuously for nearly 12 years, with more than 35,000 patient visits to date. And despite its small footprint, the Clinic’s operations continue to grow. In 2019, staff welcomed more than 4,500 visits from uninsured patients hailing from across Northern California.
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Our vision is to provide free health care to more adult patients in the rapidly growing uninsured populations of Northern California. Despite government mandates requiring all individuals to obtain health insurance, there will remain a vulnerable population that, for a variety of complex reasons, will be unable to obtain health insurance. In order to meet the needs of this population, we must always find ways to look ahead and do more.
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A CLEAR VISION
We are keeping true to our mission which includes a volunteer staffing model, private donation and contribution-based financial model and a unique charism of providing service to the vulnerable and the sick. We intend to expand our Oakland footprint, extend our geographical outreach to other Northern California communities, and add more medical specialty services.
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We foresee partnering with a host of communityminded businesses, large and small health care provider organizations, and like-minded not-for-profit service organizations to achieve our mission.
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INCREASING HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Today, an estimated 500,000 people live without health insurance in the Greater Bay Area, including more than 195,000 people in Alameda County. Studies have shown that low-income individuals and people of color face barriers to health care access, receive lower-quality care, and ultimately experience worse health outcomes. The Clinic exists to address the health disparities among these underserved populations.
NEW
SOCIAL SERVICES The Clinic is committed to providing our underserved and uninsured patients with services and resources that go beyond medical care. We recently added a licensed clinical social worker to our volunteer roster who serves our most vulnerable patients. For those who struggle with language barriers or immigration status, we are now able to assist them with navigating the public health care system, accessing information on subsidized housing, and identifying other helpful social services.
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INCREASING HEAL
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We offer comprehensive preventative health care services and treatment, including:
P RIMARY CARE *
C ARD I OLOGY *
ONC OLOGY *
N E UR O LO G Y
G YNE CO LO G Y*
D ERMATOLOGY
POD I ATRY
O TO R H IN O LA R YN G O LO G Y
E NDO CRINO LO G Y
GASTROENTEROLOGY
PULMONOLOGY *
S O CIA L S E R V ICE S
*Most requested areas of care
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S E R V I C E S A N D S P E C I A LT I E S
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MEETING A GROWING DEMAND More than half of our patients do not visit a doctor regularly and most new patients have received little to no medical attention in recent years. For many, our Clinic is their only source of medical care.
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MEETING
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A GROWING DEMAIND BY THE NUMBERS
INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION
REGIONAL IMPACT
PATIENT VISITS IN 2019
REPEAT PATIENT CARE 21%
79%
INCREASE FROM 2018
Patients travel to the Clinic from surrounding counties including Alameda, San Francisco, Marin, Solano, Contra Costa, Sacramento and Stanislaus.
RETURNING PATIENTS NEW PATIENTS
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One doctor for every five patients. This is consistent year-over-year, even with increased patient growth.
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PAYING IT FORWARD A PERSPECTIVE FROM RON CONNOLLY, RN, FNP
It was at his father’s wake that volunteer Ron Connolly, registered nurse (RN) and family nurse practitioner (FNP), first thought about sharing his talents with the Order of Malta Clinic. Although he had read about the Clinic in the Diocesan newspaper, it was only when he talked to Dr. Vona Lorenzana, the Clinic’s medical director, at the wake that the seed was planted to volunteer. “This is a way to carry on a tradition that my father started: the opportunity to truly serve others with my professional skills and at the same time live out my Catholic faith and beliefs,” Connolly says. “It is also a continuation of a path to work in a unique patient-centered clinical setting that barely exists anymore.”
“This is a way to carry on a tradition that my father started: the opportunity to truly serve others with my professional skills and at the same time live out my Catholic faith and beliefs. It is also a continuation of a path to work in a unique patientcentered clinical setting that barely exists anymore.”
Connolly recounts his journey as beginning with his work in his father’s medical practice. “I was blessed to have five years working as a nurse with my father, a rheumatologist. That experience led me to see the world in a different way, giving me the opportunity to step back and truly see all of the blessings that we have. When I started to volunteer at the Clinic, I realized I had talents that I could share with other people.”
Connolly’s father treated his patients with patience. They were like family. There wasn’t a requirement to see patients in 15-minute increments. There was plenty of time to establish rapport and build trust. Providing access to care also was a mission. Connolly’s father would help those who didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford to pay, values that had a profound effect on his son.
“I lost my dad and my job at the same time. Out of respect for what Dad taught and my own Catholic beliefs, I wanted to continue to practice medicine, but still make a difference like he did,” Connolly reflects. He found the perfect opportunity at the Order of Malta Clinic. After the wake, Dr. Lorenzana called Connolly to request support on treatment options for a particularly challenging patient case. What started as a phone consultation, grew to a more extensive volunteer schedule. Connolly started working at the Clinic every other week for half a day, which quickly grew to a half day once a week. He was impressed by the depth of care and knowledge from the volunteer medical team, and energized by the caring environment and professionalism of volunteers and staff. “Most of our providers are not from primary care,” he says. “This works to our advantage because we have this incredibly talented pool of specialists to draw from every day. We have neurologists with 40 years of experience, and cardiologists with 30. This translates to our being able to provide outstanding patient care with a fraction of the resources and overhead of a standard medical practice.” In addition to his medical credentials, Connolly could also wear the badge of “Recruiter in Chief.” He points out the need for additional volunteers, with or without medical backgrounds; a willingness to spend time with patients is all that’s required. “You can learn from just listening to the patient. Eighty-five percent of the diagnosis is in the patient history if you have and take the time to listen,” Connolly says.
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Connolly believes that “being at the Clinic changes you and changes how you view things.” Although it’s easy to get comfortable in your own routine, what’s so rewarding is “treating those difficult cases where because patients did not have insurance for 10 to 15 years, their health issues went unaddressed. Inconsistent access to care greatly exacerbates health issues.”
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“The Clinic provides a venue to take the best care of the patient that you can within your abilities,” he notes. “Equally important, it provides a space to be present doing the best job you can whether you are a doctor, a nurse, or a volunteer without a medical background. You see it in the quality of patient care and the decreased costs. You won’t see that anywhere else whether insured or free. It’s our breadth of volunteers that make the Clinic.”
In reflecting on his journey, he harkens back to his conversation with Dr. Lorenzana at the wake. “You have a sense of grief when something bad happens, like the loss of a parent. That’s normal. The beauty of volunteering at the Clinic at that juncture in my life was that I learned I had blessings that I could share with other people. I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.”
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PAYING
Connolly believes that the Clinic is instrumental in creating a moment in time where volunteers can reflect on the gifts they bring to others, even if their skills don’t seem special in their own minds. “If you have IT skills, we need you, because our doctors can’t fix our computers. Are you a good listener? You can conduct intake and hear what patients need.” Connolly remembers the impact volunteers had on a patient who worked two full-time jobs just to pay off her ER bill. “Our volunteers helped her with the charitable deduction paperwork to reduce the cost,” he says.
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POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS The Clinic meets all regulatory and legal requirements for medical clinics within the state of California; however, it is distinctive in its staffing structure as the preponderance of the staff are volunteers. Our volunteers logged more than 11,000 hours in 2019. A small group of employed medical professionals, including a medical director, provide stability and structure for a much larger volunteer clinical staff of 65-plus physicians and registered nurses. The part-time administrative team also is comprised of volunteers with only three part-time, paid staff members.
MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE PARTNERS We partner with some of the most renowned medical institutions and health care provider organizations – as well as medical universities during preceptorships, clinical rotations and residency programs – to build our experienced volunteer team.
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11,000+ HOURS OF SERVICE
2,300+ Hours of Service by Knights, Dames and Provisionals of the Order of Malta.
PRACTITIONERS | 46%
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A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TEAM
PHYSICIANS | 30%
MD, DO and NP.
ADMINISTRATIVE | 21%
RESIDENTS | 2% NURSE PRACTITIONERS | 2% NURSES | 32% ADMINISTRATIVE | 34%
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REGISTERED NURSES | 33%
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CARING WITH
CARING WITH COMPASSION A CONVERSATION WITH VOLUNTEER JOY UMEH, DNP
Joy Umeh, a recent graduate of the University of San Francisco’s Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner program, stumbled upon the Order of Malta Clinic during a clinical rotation placement. Not only did she complete the entire rotation at the Clinic, she also championed a hepatitis B screening study that identifies the virus in asymptomatic patients. Since graduating, she still remains an active volunteer. Her love of helping others and relating to the most vulnerable populations stems from her own background as an immigrant from a third-world country.
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As students, we face a lot of obstacles during our clinical rotations because sometimes you go to a site where the providers are not willing to talk to you or teach you anything. It’s understandable because often they’re so busy and don’t have the bandwidth to teach someone new. But the Clinic was different. I totally fell in love on my first day there. The clinicians were all very open-minded and willing to teach, which I truly appreciated. The Clinic also sees patients who are either uninsured or underinsured, and most live below the poverty line. Some of these patients haven’t seen a doctor in years. Even though they may have chronic conditions, they have no medical care. Many can’t afford good insurance, and some don’t even want to go to the emergency room unless it is a true emergency. Helping underserved patients reminded me of the reason I went into nursing in the first place.
HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THE CLINIC’S NEW HEPATITIS B SCREENING PROTOCOL?
WHAT MADE YOU CONTINUE TO VOLUNTEER AFTER GRADUATION?
One of the requirements for the DNP-FNP program is to come up with a research study and implement it during your rotation. I worked on a hepatitis B protocol to identify patients who were eligible for screening, based on CDC recommendations. A lot of times, people aren’t aware that they have chronic hepatitis B because they are asymptomatic. It often is not until they experience liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis, that it is finally detected. According to the CDC, country of origin is a main screening guideline for chronic hepatitis B, so the Clinic is an optimal place to test since many of our patients are immigrants.
I graduated in December 2019, and during that time, I told Dr. Vona Lorenzana that I wanted to come back and help. She said that I was welcome, but understood if I was too busy. I told her that it didn’t matter – I would find time because I love what I do. Now, I volunteer once a week for about four hours, but some days I go there for six.
After presenting this study to the Clinic’s medical director, and developing a screening eligibility sheet, physicians can now identify who has chronic hepatitis B and start early treatment in order to prevent long-term complications from the virus.
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WHAT WAS SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR CLINICAL ROTATION AT THE ORDER OF MALTA CLINIC?
The Clinic serves the most vulnerable populations, so a lot of patients have barriers. Lack of insurance, language, transportation, and not having seen a health care provider in years are the most common. Helping this population overcome obstacles was part of the reason I wanted to stay. I felt like I was making a bigger difference by volunteering at the Clinic versus at my regular job where I was getting paid. Maybe it also has to do with the fact that I am an immigrant; I know what it means to be underserved, so I can relate to our patients. That makes a huge difference.
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After my first semester ended, my university reached out and said that I had the option to rotate to a different clinic. I really wanted to stay, so I told them not to reassign me. I ended up finishing my entire rotation there.
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PLANNING FOR A BROADER IMPACT Achieving our mission and realizing our vision requires great commitment, enormous enthusiasm, generous financial support, and a focused and achievable strategic plan. We have developed a 2020-2025 strategic plan which includes six forwardthinking strategies that will guide our direction. Each strategy is supported by near-term objectives that focus our energies and resources.
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INCREASE ACCESS FOR UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS
EXPAND CLINICAL SERVICES
There has been a steady increase in the number of uninsured individuals seeking medical care since the opening of the Clinic in 2008. Over the
The majority of our clinical services are primary care. However, since our patients often need specialty care, we are fortunate to have 13
years, we have increased our capability to treat a growing demand by building our volunteer workforce (both clinical and administrative), realigning our facility footprint, and cultivating a loyal and generous donor base.
volunteer specialists on staff. We plan to add additional services over the next year. Our staff has identified Psychiatry, Endocrinology and Women’s Health among the services that would make a positive impact in caring for the needs of our uninsured patients.
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EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND VOLUNTEERISM An essential component of our success has been the committed volunteer workforce we have drawn to the Clinic and the ever-present spirituality of the Order of Malta members. These two essential components, volunteerism and spirituality, are critical aspects of our culture and our ongoing success.
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IMPROVE ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
Unlike most not-for-profit health care organizations, we do not seek insurance payments, government reimbursements, nor do we bill our patients for services; we are truly a “free� clinic. Our revenue is generated by generous donors and our operating expenses are extremely low due to our predominantly volunteer workforce. Critical to accomplishing our mission is a strategic focus on fiscal integrity and stewardship of funds.
We have been blessed with amazingly competent physicians, retired and active, who have broad experience in their profession. Our medical director rates as among the strongest in her field, according to her peers. We will create systems and processes to assure our patients continue to receive the best care possible.
The successful administration of the Clinic can be directly attributed to our talented and caring management team. Its predominantly volunteer efforts have produced processes and procedures that positively contribute to patient care.
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CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE QUALITY OF CARE
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MAINTAIN FINANCIAL VIA BILITY
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AMPLIFYING
AMPLIFYING OUR VOICE
Online Blog
In 2019, the Board of Directors invested resources to improve the Clinic’s communications and amplify its voice. With a focus on better engaging with current and prospective patients, as well as attracting new supporters and volunteers, the Clinic made the following improvements: •
Developed and launched a new responsivedesign website with updated information and a dynamic blog page.
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Launched new social media profiles across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Leveraged new volunteer-focused and service-oriented content to enhance the Clinic’s community e-newsletter.
@orderofmaltaclinic
@orderofmaltaclinic
@orderofmaltaclinic
@malta_clinic
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orderofmaltaclinic.com
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E-Newsletter
OUR
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11TH ANNUAL
THE 11th ANNUAL CHAMPIONS GALA
In October 2019, the Clinic hosted its 11th Annual Champions Gala to celebrate the “spirit of the volunteer.� The sell-out event was a tremendous success, raising more than $500,000 for the medical clinic. Some 300 guests came together to honor the contributions of the 70-plus volunteer physicians, nurses, staff, and board members that power the Clinic.
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“The Champions Gala was an opportunity for our community to come together and support the Clinic’s life-saving work, and celebrate the volunteers who champion our mission of upholding human dignity and caring for people in need. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a 25 percent growth in patient visits and an increased demand for specialized treatment and care. This event will provide us with funding to extend operating hours and resources for specialty clinic services like podiatry, ophthalmology and women’s health.” JOHN CHRISTIAN, ESQ., KM
President
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AMPIONS
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SILVER CHALICE
SILVER CHALICE AWARD HONOREE SPOTLIGHT L.J. MICHAEL LAMBERT, KM BETTY ANN LAMBERT, DM
“This year, we honored the Lamberts with the Silver Chalice award for their invaluable volunteer leadership and contributions to the Clinic over the years. Their commitment to serving the uninsured has been a driving force in the Clinic’s long-term success, and we are honored to recognize them and the many other volunteers that are making a difference in the community.” SARA CUMBELICH, DM PG 2 4
Event Chair and Board Member
just not – and you are.’ She then shocked me by saying that she would be happy to supply all of our wine for the dinner! That was my first ‘taste’ of understanding that civilians (non-members of the Order of Malta) will help us if they know our story.” Telling that story is at the heart of Mike’s long-term involvement with the Order of Malta and the Clinic. He started the Sacramento location for the Order in 1990 and served on the Board of Directors of the Western Association, with Richard Madden. When the last Catholic hospital in the Diocese of Oakland closed, Madden, along with others, worked with Bishop Allen Vigneron of Oakland to start the Clinic on the campus of the newly constructed Cathedral of Christ the Light. “Catholic hospitals have a tradition for treating the poor and people who don’t have insurance; and the Order of Malta has a 900-year history of offering health care to my lords, the sick and the poor. We wanted to keep that tradition going for our community.”
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In September 2019, Knights, Dames, family, and friends of the Clinic gathered -- as they have every year since 2008 – for the Champions Gala at the St. Francis Yacht Club. They came together to honor a very special group of Clinic volunteers for their tireless work, vision, and financial support. However, in 2019 there was a bit of a role reversal, as the founding chair of the event, Mike Lambert, and his late-wife Betty Ann, were the honorees, not the worker-bees, honored for being a “driving force in the Clinic’s long-term success.”
“We met at a wine tasting event at the St. Francis Yacht Club where I told her about the Clinic fundraising dinner planned for the very room in which we were in. I mentioned the Clinic story and asked if she would be interested in donating wine for the event. She asked how many bottles I wanted for our silent auction. I responded and said that I needed table wine for 100 expected guests. Surprised at the size of my request, she passed on the opportunity. The next day, I got a phone call from the same woman who had a change of heart and said, ‘I feel bad about how I handled things yesterday. You’re doing what I should be doing. I should be doing more to help the poor – and I’m
With Lambert’s support and enthusiasm, the Good Samaritan Dinner evolved into a major civic fundraising event, bringing in more than $500,000 in 2019 to support Clinic operations. “Six years ago, I turned the event over to Sara Cumbelich, who has done a phenomenal job of building and expanding our base of support. She also changed the name from Good Samaritan to A Knight for Champions, the Silver Chalice Dinner because of the Order’s history in the Middle Ages of serving patients in their hospitals off silver plates and bowls. The noble knights would treat the patients as guests in their homes - as equals.” He notes that this legacy of care and respect is the charism of the Order of Malta and practiced daily at the Clinic.
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AWARD HONOREE A retired, senior vice president with UBS, Mike was instrumental in funding the initial Good Samaritan Dinner in 2008. He recalls both the challenges and the successes. “The Board fought me on it initially, and said that the Clinic might lose money, and we didn’t have money to lose; so, I had to guarantee the event personally. And son-of-a-gun, we made $35,000, and we thought that was a pretty big deal!” One moment that left a big impact on Mike was his encounter with a well-respected owner of an upscale Napa Valley winery.
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CARING FOR PATIENT NEEDS For many of our patients, a diagnosis by a Clinic professional is the first step to identifying and treating medical issues and underlying conditions that could become life-threatening. During intake sessions, our experienced medical staff report principal diagnoses to help ensure patients receive proper attention and appropriate (at times, specialized) care. To the right is a breakdown of patient diagnoses for 2019 encounters.
2019 ENCOUNTERS PRINCIPAL DIAGNOSIS
ENCOUNTERS
Endocrine, Nutritional, and Metabolic Diseases; Immunity Disorders
816
Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue Diseases
400
Circulatory System Diseases
393
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Diseases
297
Digestive System Diseases
291
Genitourinary System Diseases
278
Nervous System and Sense Organs Diseases
244
Respiratory System Diseases
212
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
110
Blood and Blood Forming Disorders
89
Neoplasms 42 Mental, Behavioral, and Neurodevelopment Disorders
40
Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services
19
Symptoms, Signs, and Ill-Defined Conditions
13
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium
11
Dental Diagnosis
5
Injury and Poisoning
3
Family Planning “Z� Codes
1
Other 1270 TOTAL 4534
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The Clinic is funded entirely through private donations, grants and fundraising events – a truly “free” medical clinic. Patients are not billed for services rendered and the Clinic does not receive reimbursement from private insurance or government programs.
2019 FUNDRAISING BREAKDOWN
CHAMPIONS GALA | $504,000 FOUNDATION GRANTS | $112,000 GIFTS | $94,000 ORDER OF MALTA WESTERN ASSOCIATION | $28,000
2019 FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT
$660,700
$738,000
OPERATING COSTS
FUNDS RAISED
“We are proud of our long-standing support for the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California. The Clinic is a model of efficiency among the nonprofit organizations we support. Through its corps of top-flight volunteer medical providers and its corporate partnerships with key vendors, the Clinic is uniquely positioned to provide high quality and personalized healthcare across a broad spectrum – at no charge – to those in need. Uninsured patients from throughout the Bay Area rely on the Clinic as it embodies the Order of Malta’s centuries-old tradition of service to the sick and the poor.”
CLINIC JACK FITZPATRICK
Executive Director, The Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation
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FUNDING CLINIC OPERATIONS
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FUNDING
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GIVING REPORT “Amidst this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Clinic continues to serve our patients in a safe manner that reduces their potential exposure to the virus. “While we continue to provide telephone follow-ups to respond to urgent patient questions or provide updates on lab results, moving forward, we will expand our care and communications approach by transitioning to electronic medical records and adding a new visual component to our telemedicine visits.” VONA LORENZANA, M.D.
Medical Director
IN-KIND SUPPORT In 2019, through the Knights of Columbus, we received two ultrasound machines, valued at more than $90,000. The machines have multiple uses including confirming babies in utero, as well as scanning for kidney stones, gallstones and peripheral artery disease. We also received an autoclave machine, a sterilizer for medical instruments. We partner with a wide range of organizations to increase access to care and provide discounted services, medications and support for patients. We thank our generous partners!
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An update from Dr. Michael J. Matly, Prov.
This past year, the Board of Directors and I led the effort to secure Kareo as a corporate partner. They are the only cloud-based and complete medical technology platform built to meet the needs of small- to mid-sized practices like the Order of Malta Clinic. Kareo has more than 65,000 providers on their platform and serves about 20,000 clinics across the country. We’re extremely fortunate to have this partnership. Not only is Kareo providing their platform to the Clinic pro bono, but is enabling us to transition from paper to electronic medical records – a process we began in the second half of 2019. Now that we’ve come to an unprecedented time with COVID-19, where health care has become the foundation of our society, the next phase of work is to fully unlock the Kareo platform so that our Clinic physicians can provide care and services at a distance through telemedicine. Once fully implemented, patients will be able to call-in to schedule their appointment, receive text and email confirmations, and then have a virtual visit with their doctor. The platform also will allow physicians to order labs and prescriptions remotely. With the help of our corporate partners like Kareo, we can stay innovative and expand the services we provide for our patients. You see that with our goals to expand the physical clinic footprint and mobile clinic services, and now through telehealth.
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INTRODUCING THE CLINIC TO A NEW AGE OF TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE.
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DR. TOM WALLACE RECOGNIZED WITH THREADS OF HOPE AWARD “I am very grateful for this award, but it really is a shared award with the other 65-plus volunteers who staff our Clinic. At my age and stage, it’s a privilege to carry forward the mission of the Order of Malta, to treat the sick and the poor, and to focus on the pure practice of medicine, without the exchange of money, reimbursements, or asking for ‘permission’ to help a patient in need.” TOM WALLACE, M.D., KM
Every year, Diablo Magazine asks readers to nominate unsung heroes in the East Bay— individuals who are changing the region for the better through their volunteer work. This year, Clinic volunteer Dr. Tom Wallace received the Threads of Hope award in recognition for his longstanding commitment to the community. Below is an article by Peter Crooks of Diablo Magazine: At age 89, Dr. Tom Wallace shouldn’t be expected to work full-time. After all, he already spent nearly half a century as a practicing neurologist—much of that time in Livermore and Pleasanton—before retiring to care for his late wife, Coni, in 2001. After Coni passed away in 2012, Wallace was attending Mass one day, and a fellow worshipper told him about the Order of Malta free medical clinic across from Oakland’s Lake Merritt. “He suggested I volunteer there,” Wallace says. “A priest behind us overheard our talk. He told me, ‘You should do that.’ I thought, perhaps I should.” For five years, Wallace has been working four days per week at the Clinic, which treats patients without health coverage for free. Its name references one of Catholicism’s oldest orders. “The mission has always been to help the sick and the poor,” Wallace says. “It’s no different today than it was in ancient Jerusalem.” Soft-spoken and congenial, Wallace has treated more than a thousand patients since 2014. “There is a real sense of love,” he says of the relationship between the Clinic’s staff and patients.
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THREADS
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Justin Close, an Oakland-based chef in his late 40s, was in need of medical services last year after spending a few days with a high fever. Having let his health insurance lapse due to financial constraints, he went to the Clinic for help. “I had double-lung pneumonia, which meant I had no oxygen going to my blood,” Close says. “My heart was beating so fast, I almost had a heart attack. I blacked out before the end of the appointment.” Wallace treated Close and had the patient rushed to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, where he was put in an induced coma for one week and given a lifesaving combination of medication and treatments. When he came out of his coma, Close was confused and had lost 30 pounds. “I was in a situation where I was shocked, but Dr. Wallace’s manner was very soothing,” Close recalls. “He told me, ‘Just take it one day at a time and listen to your body, and you’re going to live a long time.’”
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Close is grateful for the care he received. “If anyone should be nominated for sainthood,” he adds, “it’s Dr. Wallace.”
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BUILDING BUILDING SUPPORT
In June 2019, friends and supporters of the Clinic gathered at the Nob Hill Penthouse of John and Sally Ann McInerney, honoring the Clinic’s mission of caring for the uninsured and setting the stage for the 11th annual Champions Gala.
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RE-DISCOVERING THE POWER OF HEALING
THE POWE
A INTERVIEW WITH VOLUNTEER LOUIS GIORGI, M.D.
Dr. Louis Giorgi, a urologist, never regained the full use of his hands after a tragic accident. After a series of surgeries, he found he needed a new calling when it came to making a difference. Some of the fine motor skills were gone, but the intellect and years of medical experience were not lost. Now serving at the Clinic, his powerful motivation to heal others and to help make a difference in the community remains steadfast.
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Many people that come to the Clinic suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes but have never had access to medication or treatment. Fortunately for these patients, the Clinic is able to prescribe medication, offer free labs and x-rays, and provide access to diabetic nurses and nutritionists – all of which help save lives. Chronic diseases left untreated can shorten life spans, or even be fatal. Without access to medical care, issues as common as strep or influenza can become life-threatening quickly and affect both entire families and communities.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO’D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER AND SERVE AT THE CLINIC? ‘We want you’ is my message to the medical community. What I mean by that is we want you to come and volunteer half a day a month. It is our valued and dedicated volunteer medical specialists who lend their talent and time to keep the Clinic going. My volunteering makes me feel like I’m the one being served at the end of the day. There is something about sharing the gifts you’ve been given and acquired. In fact, this is what medicine is supposed to be.
I am motivated to grow the reach of the Clinic so that the underserved, the marginalized, and otherwise vulnerable and challenged communities are getting the care they need.
YOUR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE
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WHAT MAKES THE CLINIC IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY?
The Clinic’s work is made possible because of the generosity of donors and volunteers like you. We appreciate all that you do for our community and the vulnerable patients we serve.
HEALING
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To make a donation or join our volunteer team, visit: www.orderofmaltaclinic.com.
2121 HARRISON STREET #120 OAKLAND, CA 94612 (510) 587-3000 orderofmaltaclinic.com