Feature!- Giving In Marin With Marin's Free Clinic, RotaCare

If you suddenly found yourself sick enough to require medical attention, but not sick enough to go to the emergency room, you'd phone your family physician for an appointment, right?   But if you had no insurance- or no job- you'd mostly find yourself in trouble.

This is the third in our series on Giving In Marin.

At around 5p each Monday and Thursday evening, you will find several people lined up and waiting outside the Kaiser building on Third Street in downtown San Rafael.  They are waiting for Marin County's only free clinic, RotaCare, to open its doors for the evening.  If they are lucky, they'll be chosen by random lottery to see the doctor tonight.  If not, they'll try again in a few days. 

RotaCare is Marin County's only free clinic. It operates on an annual budget of about $75,000 and relies completely on monetary, facility and material donations, financial grants and a myriad group of dedicated volunteers. 

We arrive just about 5p to see Blanche Donaldson, RotaCare's Site Coordinator, lead a group of 12 patients into the building.  They could be here because of a stomach ache, a skin rash, sprains, strains or an infection- the usual maladies. 

Inside the clinic, Dr. Steve Berkov, the Medical Director confers with a medical staff member before breaking off to talk to us.  Berkov has been with RotaCare for nearly two years.  Before that he had worked as a physician at Kaiser for 25 years.  After volunteering a few times, he was hooked and wanted to do more.

"I was given the option of becoming Medical Director and I just jumped at the chance," he says, adding that he really enjoys practicing medicine with the other medical staff.  "We respect each others way of practicing medicine, the atmosphere is wonderful and no one has an ax to grind."

RotaCare was started by the Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise over a decade ago in 1997.  Back then it operated within Ritter House, a non-profit agency that provides services for the homeless population.  RotaCare's medical clinic was open one night a week, but in 2003 they moved to the present facility, a Kaiser medical building and then expanded hours from once to twice a week.  Kaiser donates the space, a multi-practice facility that is modern, clean and comfortable.

This evening, the clinic is a beehive of activity; volunteers scurry around shepherding patients into the medical rooms to be examined.  Several translators- also volunteer- stand-by to offer their services as a large portion of the patients are Hispanic.  Some Rotarians sit behind the desk processing paperwork.  Another physician arrives. 

It takes a lot of organization to keep this all running smoothly and that's where Blanche and Volunteer Coordinator, Marcia Amada come in.  Blanche and Marcia are the only paid personnel at RotaCare.  And they just became salaried employees this year after working for several years as volunteers.

Marcia has arranged for us to meet a couple of patients and she leads us into a medical examination room to speak with Juana and her friend, Ruben. A volunteer translates for us. We ask Juana how she likes RotaCare-

"I like it very much. I'm treated well and I get the service I need," she says softly.

Juana is a single mother and has been coming to RotaCare for about three years.  Once she came in complaining of a stomach ache and she was diagnosed with appendicitis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

We ask why she doesn't go to the nearby Marin Community Clinic?

"The problem is it's not as easy to get an appointment and if I am feeling sick I can come right here.  I can also come here because my earnings are too low."

RotaCare does not charge patients, ever.  Blanche explains-

"The patients used to come in very fearful.  They would keep waiting for the bill, asking how much was it going to cost?  They weren't aware it was free."

Ruben was diagnosed with a bad knee problem recently.  He was referred to Operation Access.  It's also a volunteer organization that is staffed by volunteer surgeons and surgical nurses who perform necessary operations. Ruben needed physical therapy rehab after his operation and Blanche got on the phone and called around until she found a place for Ruben to get his rehab.

"She's wonderful," he says.

Blanche tells us how she came to work at RotaCare.  She was learning Spanish and wanted someplace where she could practice, which led her to Ritter House where she volunteered in the RotaCare clinic.  Eight years later, she runs the place.  Blanche is most happy when they don't have to turn people away. 

"I'm very happy with the way it's turning out, but sometimes I have to tell them it's time to leave.  They think it's a social club!"

A glance at the waiting room seems to bear this out.  It's packed with patients, but also with their friends and family members to keep them company.  There is the buzz of chatter in the air but once the patients go in to be checked, it's all very structured.  Marcia refers to it as 'the flow.'

First patients are triaged by the nurses or Nurse Practitioner, asked questions about what is bothering them.  Then they are examined by a Doctor who diagnoses the ailment.  Next, they are either discharged with instructions to obtain X-rays or MRIs at Marin General Hospital (for free) or to get lab tests taken at Novato Community (again for free).  Or they might have a prescription filled on-site by the RotaCare Pharmacist (tonight Dr. Wayne Rapp was on duty) Then they are given any other instructions or follow-up advice by the Nurses.

Rotarian Cristy Egan tells us that a Rotarian is also present at every clinic to provide any administrative or procedural assistance as necessary. 

We walk down the hallway to the pharmacy area where Dr. Rapp is showing the ropes to two pharmacy students from a nearby college.  They look up and smile and then turn their attention back to the task at hand.  Marcia greets another Doctor in the hallway as Blanche blazes down the hall to attend to another issue.  The patients continue to wait and more volunteers and medical staff mingle.

Back in the examination room, Juana tells us through the interpreter that she wants to tell everyone who helps at RotaCare, thank you.  Later Blanche echoes Juana with this thought-

"We're all blessed because we get to interact with wonderful people."

Details:

RotaCare is a free clinic that treats adults with acute medical needs.  They are not equipped to treat  chronic medical issues nor do they treat emergencies but will refer clients to the appropriate facility.  They also do not provide pediatric, obstetrics or gynecological care.  There are nine Bay Area RotaCare clinics, including San Rafael.

Clinic hours are twice weekly, Monday and Thursday evening from 6p to 8:30p.  Monday night has specialty clinics with visits from a Dermatologist, a Neurologist, a Psychiatrist and a Podiatrist. A Dietitian and Diabetes expert are being added.  RotaCare is located at 1033-3rd Street, San Rafael

RotaCare saw 1,800 patients last year and relies on volunteer and donations to operate.  They must pay for prescription drugs, some supplies and malpractice insurance.  For further information, or to volunteer or donate, please contact Marcia Amada at 415-479-8889.

Here is a YouTube video with more information