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Mission Statement: The mission of SPIRIT is to engage volunteer physicians in the delivery of quality, compassionate medical care to the uninsured so that they may lead healthy and productive lives. Donated servcies are provided in County of Sacramento primary and specialty clinics, as well as in private physician offices, hospitals and surgery centers.
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Estimates on the uninsured population in Sacramento County range as high at 250,000 residents. Since these individuals and families are left with few options for health care - either costly emergency room visits or reliance upon the safety net system, many do not receive the adequate care that they need.
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The Sacramento Physicians' Initiative to Reach out, Innovate and Teach (SPIRIT) Project recruits physicians to volunteer in county clinics in an effort to enhance primary care medical services available to Sacramento's uninsured. The project also offers a specialty service network comprised of office referrals to participating SPIRIT physicians, "specialty sub" clinics located within existing county clinics and hernia repair surgeries done at no charge at local hospitals. Specialists provide medical care that uninsured patients have difficulty accessing through the county clinic system. SPIRIT medical services are completely free of charge to the patient.
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SPIRIT Project Volunteers
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Over 23,000 patients have been served and 400 hernia surgeries have been conducted since the inception of the SPIRIT Project in 1995. The Project is comprised of a collaborative partnership including the Society, the Sacramento County Department of Health Services, Mercy Healthcare Sacramento, UC Davis School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento / Sutter Medical Group and Blue Shield of California Foundation. Other groups participating include Sacramento Anesthesia Medical Group, Diagnostic Pathology Medical Group, Central Anesthesia Service Exchange Medical Group, and Northern California Lions Sight Association.
The effects that the project has had for SPIRIT patients are best described by their comments about the program. One patient referred to the physician that helped him as a "God send" and many found the SPIRIT Project to be of great help when they had no where else to go for medical care. In a survey of patients who had received a free hernia repair from SPIRIT volunteers, sixty-six percent of the patients returned to the work force.
SPIRIT volunteers find their service to be satisfying. They have noted that patients are very appreciative and sincerely express their gratitude. Volunteers are happy to have the opportunity to help the less fortunate and feel that they are making a difference in patients' lives.
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