BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE INC

PRIMARY CARE AT OUR ONSITE MEDICAL CLINIC IN HACKENSACK, NJ, BVMI PROVIDES FREE PRIMARY, PREVENTIVE, SPECIALTY, CHRONIC AND URGENT CARE FOR BERGEN COUNTY ADULTS WHO WORK, BUT DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE. THIS INCLUDES LAB WORK AND AN ANNUAL PRIMARY CARE EXAMINATION, CONDUCTED BY OUR VOLUNTEER PROVIDERS, AND REFERRALS FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND SPECIALIST CARE AT OTHER LOCATIONS WHEN NEEDED, FOR FREE OR REDUCED COST.OUR VOLUNTEER MEDICAL TEAM OF 83 CLINICIANS DETECTS AND SUCCESSFULLY TREATS PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND OTHER CONDITIONS. ANOTHER 100 VOLUNTEERS PERFORM VITAL ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. IN 2025, BVMI SERVED 1,026 ADULTS IN 9,725 VISITS, WITH FEMALES COMPRISING 65% OF OUR PATIENT ROSTER.

DIABETES PREVENTION, CARE, AND EDUCATIONTHE DIABETES PREVENTION, CARE, AND EDUCATION PROGRAM AT BVMI IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EARLY DETECTION, SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT, AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR OUR PRE-DIABETIC AND DIABETIC PATIENTS. THESE TWO CATEGORIES REPRESENT NEARLY 1/3 OF BVMI'S PATIENTS. UNCONTROLLED DIABETES CAN LEAD TO INCREASED RISK OF STROKE, HEART DISEASE, CIRCULATORY PROBLEMS AND NEUROPATHY, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, KIDNEY DISEASE - EVEN DEATH.THE INTAKE FOR ALL BVMI PATIENTS INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE EXAMINATION. IF RESULTS INDICATE THAT THEY ARE DIABETIC OR PRE-DIABETIC, THEY ARE REFERRED TO OUR DIABETES TEAM FOR FURTHER CARE AND FOLLOW-UP. WE WORK WITH THIS GROUP OF PATIENTS TO BRING THEIR CONDITION UNDER CONTROL AND UNDER MAINTENANCE. THIS INCLUDES PATIENT EDUCATION IN HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES, TRAINING FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES OR CAREGIVERS IN HOW TO MONITOR AND MANAGE DIABETES, AND MEDICATION AND SUPPLIES WHERE APPROPRIATE.IN 2025, THE PART-TIME CERTIFIED DIABETES CARE AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST COMPLETED 226 VISITS. CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS COMPARE VERY FAVORABLY TO NATIONAL HEDIS BENCHMARKS FOR THE MEDICAID POPULATION: 59.8% OF BVMI PATIENTS HAD AN AA1C VALUE OF LESS THAN 7.0, COMPARED TO THE HEDIS BENCHMARK OF 34.7%, AND 76.3% OF BVMI PATIENTS HAD AN A1C VALUE OF LESS THAN 8.0, COMPARED TO THE HEDIS BENCHMARK OF 50.9%. ONLY 14.4% HAD AN A1C VALUE OF GREATER THAN 9, COMPARED TO THE HEDIS BENCHMARK OF 40.3%.22 PATIENTS COMPLETED BVMI'S INNOVATIVE, INTENSIVE 9-MONTH PREVENT DIABETES PROGRAM. FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT LOWERED THEIR A1C (BLOOD SUGAR) VALUES - WITH SIX PATIENTS REACHING NORMAL RANGE - AND 77% OF PARTICIPANTS LOST WEIGHT, WITH 20% LOSING MORE THAN 5% OF THEIR STARTING WEIGHT.