National Free & Charitable Clinic Takes The Challenge, is Alan Kaufman’s take on how to do healthcare differently for those among us who have the greatest need. Here’s what one veteran clinician has to say about a new organization that serves underserved babies, children, teens, women, men and families across our nation Nation.
OUR NATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS & THE UNDERSERVED
Providing individuals with primary medical care is the foundation for healthy living. Without diagnosis and management of mild to moderate chronic diseases, individuals become medically distressed at any age, young or old. Healthcare impacts lives beyond unnecessary pain and illness. National studies show that productivity loss due to sickness costs businesses millions of dollars every year.
An estimated 112 million (44%) American adults are struggling to pay for healthcare, and more than double that number (93%) feel that what they do pay is not worth the cost. The findings come from two new composite scores developed by the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization West Health and Gallup, the global analytics and advice firm, to assess the healthcare cost crisis. According to the Healthcare Affordability Index, respondents are considered “cost desperate” if they report experiencing three key financial challenges:
- Unable to pay for needed medical treatment over the prior three months.
- Skipped prescribed medication due to cost over the prior three months.
- Unable to afford quality care if it was needed today.
Those classified as “cost insecure” have one or two of these affordability challenges, while cost secure individuals report none of these challenges and are able to consistently access and pay for prescription medications and quality care.
Based on these classifications, 36% of Americans are “cost insecure,” 8% are “cost desperate” and 56% are “cost secure.” The likelihood of being cost desperate is more than four times greater for those in households earning under $48,000 per year (13%) compared to those earning $90,000+ per year (3%). Men were more likely to be cost secure than women (60% to 53%) and Hispanic adults were less likely to be cost secure than their Non-Hispanic White counterparts (51% to 58%).
Over one-third (35%) of cost desperate adults report that they have cut back on utilities, and half have cut back on food in the past 12 months to pay for necessary healthcare, rates that are 10 times greater than their cost secure counterparts. Another 14% of this group know a friend or family member who has died in the last 12 months after not receiving treatment due to an inability to pay for it—double the rate of “cost insecure” individuals and seven times greater than “cost secure” individuals.
THE TELE-HEALTH SOLUTION
National Free Charitable Clinic provides sustainable medical expertise to the nation’s most vulnerable communities to build local capacity and deliver core health services through a network of volunteer healthcare professionals supported by telehealth technology.
Tele-Health virtual technology (used to deploy both medical and pharmaceutical care) saves patients’ lives, time and money. National Free Charitable Clinic reduces patient transfers, emergency department and urgent care center visits, and delivers savings to payers who are insured. In addition, telehealth helps address physician burnout by reducing clinicians’ drive times and allowing more time for patients.
National Free Charitable Clinic benefit everyone, even those with health insurance. Patients served by NFCC will no longer clog area emergency rooms for primary care, medications or hospitalizations for uncontrolled diabetes, blood pressure or heart attacks and strokes. Our patients, whose health conditions are managed through medications, will receive the routine care they so desperately that allows them to work and provide for their families.
National Free Charitable Clinic is different and has made uncommon commitment to serve our Nation in ways never seen by any for-profit or nonprofit healthcare program in history.
National Free Charitable Clinic Board of Directors
National Free Charitable Clinic’s Board of Directors is comprised of nationally renowned experts who provide our administrators two separate yet critical support functions: ADVICE & ACCOUNTABILITY. NFCC Board Members are known around the world as experts who grow organizations for significant impact.
Dr. Alan Kaufman, Pharm.D.
For the past 20 years, Alan Kaufman, Pharm. D., has served the residents of several communities throughout North Carolina and South Carolina as manager of both large chain and local independently owned pharmacies. In developing personal relationships with his patients, he not only dispenses medication and counsels patients, but he also ensures the responsible use and disposal of the medications. While managing large chain, corporately owned pharmacies, he acquired skills in pharmacy operations, record-keeping, the development of standards of operation, integration of automation, and has become proficient with several state-of-the-art pharmacy computer software programs. Over time, the corporate model became increasingly frustrating because it did not allot the time necessary for Alan to develop the personal relationships required to effectively provide medication therapy management to his patients. Alan’s philosophy is that a good pharmacist ensures that the medication dispensed to the patient is correct according to the provider’s prescription. A great pharmacist ensures the medication written on the prescription is right for the specific patient.In 2020, Alan became the Pharmacy Manager of a local community pharmacy in Lexington, SC where he has resided for the past 20 years. Since then, Alan has become a vital member of the Lexington community, advocating for the right of patients to receive the best care possible from their healthcare providers. According to Alan, “health care is a team sport with a goal of using our gifts to provide the hope of positive outcomes and a better quality of life for each patient.” To accomplish this in Lexington, Alan has forged personal relationships with several local physicians and nurse practitioners allowing for a free exchange of expert information and creative thought. Alan is presently completing a plan that not only performs drug utilization reviews and patient counseling, but it also integrates medication therapy management into the acute and chronic care management model. With this plan, Alan seeks to provide health care practitioners with a statistical analysis of a patient’s compliance to therapy over time. This information is a tool that gives providers insight into the reasons why patients do not take their medications.
Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
A native of Southwest Virginia, Dr. Paula Hill-Collins learned from her mother and grandmother at an early age that the only way to be blessed in this world is to be a blessing to others. This faith and dedication were the building blocks for her decision to enter the nursing profession. Dr. Hill-Collins has over 20 years of experience as a primary care provider to rural health and vulnerable populations in Central Appalachia. For the past 10 years, she has served as the Clinical Director for the Health Wagon. She is co-organizer of the M7 Move Mountains medical mission, the largest outreach clinic in the U.S. She is a strong advocate for nurse practitioners acquiring independent practice authority and has spoken at several local, state, and national conferences. She holds dual certification as a family practice NP and PNP. She obtained her doctor of nursing practice degree in 2010 at the University of Alabama, her master’s in nursing in 1998 at the University of Kentucky, and her bachelor’s in nursing in 1989 at East Tennessee State University. Dr. Hill-Collins has been interviewed by national and international media, including being featured on 60 Minutes. She has testified before the Virginia Senate on NP full practice authority, is an advocate for vulnerable patients, and performs medical/legal consults. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, a member of the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, and a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Hill-Collins is married to a local attorney who partners with her in Collins-Hill LLC. Following the tragic death of her son, she successfully changed antiquated Virginia grandparent laws. She is a mother of four and has one grandson, and is actively involved in church, social, and community activities.
Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Like Loretta Lynn, Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson was born a coal miner’s daughter and grew up surrounded by the abject poverty that overshadows the Appalachian Mountains—poverty perpetuated by the dying singular economy of coal. However, the much greater natural resources of resilience and self-reliance survive among the mountain people, and these are characteristics Dr. Tyson exhibits in her leadership of the Health Wagon. Growing up, Dr. Tyson dreamed of becoming a missionary doctor and helping others in some faraway land. But as she got older, she realized that her own community needed her help. She earned a bachelor’s in nursing from East Tennessee State University, a master’s in nursing from the University of Kentucky, and a doctor of nursing practice from the University of Alabama, all with honors. During breaks from school, she worked as a registered nurse at the Health Wagon, learning to care for those in need. Dr. Tyson’s lifelong commitment to improving the lives of others has been recognized by a host of organizations. She received the Virginia Governor’s Award for Volunteerism for coordinating the nation’s largest free health care outreach, and in 2015 was appointed by Governor McAuliffe to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Board of Directors. She and her husband Tim are blessed with five wonderful children: two boys and three girls. Dr. Tyson understands the plight of individuals facing uncertain healthcare crises—her oldest daughter had a brain tumor at the age of seven and survived against all odds. Dr. Tyson is compassionate and understanding of those who are impacted by disease and disability. She is a strong advocate and champion for healthcare equity for all.
Jackson M. Doggette Jr., JD, MA
Jackson M. Doggette Jr. is The Solutions Expert. His God-given gifts, formal education, and real-world experience uniquely qualify him to serve the nonprofit sector with excellence. Jackson has tested with the Clifton Strengths Assessment and his top five strengths are Maximizer, Strategic, Learning, Achiever, and Ideation. His strongest domain is as a strategic thinker. He has also tested with the Myers-Briggs Assessment and is an ENTJ, a natural leader. These God-given gifts have served his clients very well in helping them achieve their most desired goals. Jackson’s formal education includes earning a B.A. in Theology from Oakwood University, a M.A. in Religion with a concentration in Theology, Ethics, and Philosophy from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, and a J.D. from the prestigious Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He has earned certifications as a mediator, Nonprofit Executive, Development Executive, Nonprofit Consultant, Diversity Professional, Specialist in Planned Giving, and he has completed the classwork for the Certified Financial Planner designation and LL.M. in Employment Law along with other certificate courses. Jackson is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister with more than 42 years of leadership experience in nongovernmental organizations. He has planted churches and led small and large churches, served in several executive positions including Director of Stewardship & Philanthropy, served on numerous community boards and chambers of commerce, and continues to positively impact thousands of lives around the world. The experience of growing ministries led Jackson to write a book to help ministries to grow. Retaining the Harvest: How to Attract, Engage, and Keep the People Who Join Your Ministry is a unique treatise that can help thousands of congregations large and small that have plateaued. He is the creator of the Retaining the Harvest System™, the RTH Mastery Program, and the RTH Mastermind Group. He is an international keynote speaker and professional musician. Jackson is the Founder of Life SOULutions, a nonprofit ministry designed to help people live their best life! Jackson holds active licenses to practice law in four jurisdictions, a United States federal court and the United States Supreme Court Bar. He has practiced law since 1993. In his career, he has served as In-House Counsel for the largest hospital system in Florida, General Counsel to a church organization with 182 congregations, 11 private schools, three adult assisted living facilities, and other auxiliary organizations, and in private practice. This experience helps him to spot issues and help resolve them expeditiously for many types of nonprofit organizations. Jackson is a founding board member of the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives (NANOE) headquartered in Washington, D.C. Jackson is very happily married to Celia and they share three wonderful adult children, David, Jacquelyn, and Jackson III.
Jimmy LaRose, Ph.D., CNE, CDE, CNC
Jimmy LaRose’s passion for “people who give” has inspired philanthropists around the world to change the way they invest in nonprofits. His belief that donors are uniquely positioned to give charities what they truly need – leadership rather than money – is the basis for his work with individuals, governments, corporations and foundations, in the U.S., Europe, Asia & Middle East. Jimmy, in his role as author, speaker, corporate CEO & nonprofit CEO champions all of civil society’s vital causes by facilitating acts of benevolence that bring healing to humanity and advance our common good. Now, in his twenty-seventh year of service, his message that money is more important than mission and donors are more important than people or causes has resonated with policy institute scholars, social activists, doctoral students, business leaders, think tanks, nonprofit and NGO executives who rely on him and his team of veterans to meaningfully grow their charitable enterprise. He’s the author of RE-IMAGINING PHILANTHROPY: Charities Need Your Mind More Than Your Money™ written to philanthropists who give nonprofits what they really need…enterprise models that grow capacity and achieve financial sustainability. He’s the architect of the Major Gifts Ramp-Up™ Donor Cultivation Model & Online Cloud used by charities around the world to meet the needs of their primary customers – the advocates, donors and volunteers who underwrite their mission. Finally, Jimmy is the founder of both Development Systems International™ and PAX Global™ firms that specialize in implementing the Major Gifts Ramp-Up Model for nonprofits, ministries and churches who raise major gifts. James P. LaRose has served as a specialist with the U.S. State Department’s Speakers Bureau traveling the world working with embassies, foreign governments, and leaders to promote philanthropy and civil society in developing countries. He was the founding President of the Western Maryland Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and is a graduate of AFP’s Faculty Training Academy (FTA). He is a graduate of Indiana University’s Executive Leadership Program, Indianapolis, IN, the National Planned Giving Institute, Memphis, TN, Tennessee Temple University, Chattanooga, TN and Word of Life Bible Institute, Schroon Lake, NY. Dr. LaRose received his Doctorate in Philanthropic Studies from Ecumenical University. Rev. LaRose was ordained as minister of the gospel by the Ecumenical Church of Christ in further support of his service to the hurting and hopeless around the world. He and his beautiful wife Kristi are citizens of the Palmetto State where they make their home in Lexington, South Carolina.
National Free Charitable Clinic Takes The Challenge was first posted at 501c3.Buzz
