VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE-BERKSHIRES INC

WHAT WE DOAT VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE (VIM) BERKSHIRES, WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO FREE, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE FOR THOSE IN THE BERKSHIRE REGION WHO ARE INCOME QUALIFIED AND INELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. WE ENVISION A SOCIETY IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE GOOD HEALTH. VIM BERKSHIRES' SERVICES INCLUDE: COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL AND RESTORATIVE DENTAL CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, OPTOMETRY, NUTRITION COUNSELING, EXERCISE THERAPY, THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE, ACUPUNCTURE, NON-OPIOID PAIN MANAGEMENT, AND BRIDGE TO SOCIAL SERVICES.WHO WE SERVEMOST OF VIM BERKSHIRES' PATIENTS COME FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TO QUALIFY FOR SERVICES AT VIM BERKSHIRES, PATIENTS MUST NOT EARN MORE THAN 300% OF THE POVERTY LEVEL. IN ADDITION TO HEALTH CARE, MANY PATIENTS REQUIRE ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSING, FOOD INSECURITY, EDUCATION AND OTHER NON-CLINICAL NEEDS.HOW WE WORKA TEAM OF VOLUNTEER MEDICAL DOCTORS, NURSES, AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS PROVIDE BASIC PRIMARY CARE AND REFERRALS FOR TREATMENT OF COMPLICATED URGENT AND ACUTE ISSUES. VOLUNTEER DENTISTS, HYGIENISTS, AND DENTAL ASSISTANTS ARE INCLUDE BOTH IN-PRACTICE AND RETIRED PRACTITIONERS. BEHAVORIAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEER PSYCHIATRISTS, LICENSED THERAPISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND PSYCHOLOGISTS. VIM BERKSHIRES ALSO COORDINATES SERVICES AND HELPS PATIENTS NAVIGATE OUR LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. VIM HAS TWENTY STAFF MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM REPRESENT OUR PATIENT POPULATION, INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, SENIOR MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, AND OUR ADVANCEMENT DIRECTOR. MEMBERS OF THE PATIENT POPULATION ARE INCLUDED IN IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS, PROVIDING ON-THE-GROUND INSIGHTS THAT CAN ADAPT AND REFINE PROGRAMS IN REAL TIME, ENSURING THEY REMAIN RELEVANT AND EFFECTIVE. IN FACT, THE OPENING OF OUR NEW HEALTHCARE CENTER IN PITTSFIELD WAS A STAFF-DRIVEN STRATEGIC DECISION BASED ON STAFF FEEDBACK THAT A PITTSFIELD FOOTPRINT WOULD MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR 50% OF OUR PATIENT POPULATION TO ACCESS SERVICES. A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTHSTUDIES FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION AND OTHER MEDICAL AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, I.E., THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE, LEARN, WORK AND PLAY, DETERMINE APPROXIMATELY 80% OF A PERSON'S OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES. EVERY PATIENT IS CAREFULLY SCREENED TO ASSESS ANY BARRIERS TO GOOD HEALTH SUCH AS HOUSING, FOOD INSECURITY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THEN REFERRED TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS IS TREATED AS A FULLY INTEGRATED COMPONENT OF OUR PATIENTS' HEALTHCARE.VIM EXPANSION: MEET GROWING PATIENT NEEDIN 2024, VIM LAUNCHED A SECOND HEALTH CARE CENTER IN PITTSFIELD. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS COMING FROM PITTSFIELD HAS TRIPLED SINCE 2019 AND THE FINANCIAL AND LOGISTICAL COST OF TRAVEL TO GREAT BARRINGTON IS OFTEN A BARRIER FOR OUR PATIENTS. THE PITTSFIELD CENTER IMPROVES ACCESS FOR PATIENTS ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTY.VIM CAREWORKS CAMPAIGNIN 2023, VIM LAUNCHED THE CAREWORKS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - A $10 MILLION INITIATIVE - TO BUILD OUR NEW HEALTHCARE CENTER IN PITTSFIELD AND RENOVATE OUR GREAT BARRINGTON LOCATION. THE CAREWORKS CAMPAIGN IS ALSO DESIGNED TO SUSTAIN OUR WORK FOR YEARS TO COME. VIM HAS ALREADY RAISED MORE THAN HALF OF THE $10 MILLION GOAL. TO DATE, THE CAREWORKS CAMPAIGN HAS MET ALL THREE OBJECTIVES, AND VIM IS ENTERING THE FINAL PHASE DESIGNED TO ENGAGE DONORS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SUPPORTING OUR MISSION AND/OR WHO HAVE MADE PLEDGES. VIM IS EXPECTING TO FORMALLY CLOSE THE CAMPAIGN BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025.VIM IMPACTVIM TREATS MORE THAN 2,000 PATIENTS AND EVERY YEAR OUR PATIENT POPULATION INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY. OUR STAFF WORKS WITH 170 VOLUNTEERS WHO DONATE 15,000 HOURS OF THEIR TIME. WE COLLABORATE WTH MORE THAN 30 AGENCIES ACROSS THE REGION, MAKING HUNDREDS OF REFERRALS TO HELP WITH SOCIAL SERVICES AND COSTS. WE AVOID 92% OF THE EXPECTED HOSPITAL VISITS FOR OUR PATIENT POPULATION. OUR SERVICES HELP KEEP HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR PATIENTS WHO TRULY NEED THEM. ACCORDING TO THE HEALTHCARE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND THE AGENCY FOR RESEARCH HEALTHCARE AND QUALITY, VIM SAVES $2.5 MILLION IN UNNECESSARY EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AND 3.1 MILLION SAVINGS TO COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH PROGRAM.