Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative Inc

THE MISSION OF BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE, INC. IS TO PROVIDE FREE PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, REFERRALS TO FREE SPECIALTY CARE FOR WORKING, LOW-INCOME BERGEN COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE.

PRIMARY CARE AT OUR ONSITE MEDICAL CLINIC IN HACKENSACK, NJ, BVMI PROVIDES FREE PRIMARY, PREVENTIVE, CHRONIC AND URGENT CARE FOR BERGEN COUNTY ADULTS WHO WORK, BUT DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE. THIS INCLUDES A PRIMARY CARE EXAMINATION, CONDUCTED BY OUR VOLUNTEER PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, AND REFERRALS TO SPECIALISTS AT OTHER LOCATIONS WHEN NEEDED. THE SPECIALISTS IN OUR NETWORK ALSO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES AT NO COST TO BVMI PATIENTS.OUR VOLUNTEER MEDICAL TEAM OF 75 CLINICIANS DETECTS AND SUCCESSFULLY TREATS PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND OTHER CONDITIONS. ANOTHER 50 VOLUNTEERS PERFORM VITAL ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,200 ADULTS ANNUALLY, AND FEMALES COMPRISE 65% OF OUR PATIENT ROSTER. SUPPORT OF LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IS AVAILABLE, AS IS GUIDANCE FROM DIETITIANS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.ALTHOUGH THE PANDEMIC FORCED PERIODIC CLINIC CLOSURES, BVMI PROVIDED CARE FOR 1,148 UNIQUE PATIENTS IN 6,781 TELEHEALTH AND ONSITE VISITS.

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 2021, THE PART-TIME CERTIFIED DIABETES CARE AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST COMPLETED NEARLY 325 VISITS. CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS COMPARED VERY FAVORABLY TO NATIONAL HEDIS BENCHMARKS FOR MEDICAID POPULATION: 48.25% OF BVMI PATIENTS HAD AN A1C VALUE OF LESS THAN 7.0, COMPARED TO THE HEDIS BENCHMARK OF 34.7%, AND 69% OF BVMI PATIENTS HAD AN A1C VALUE OF LESS THAN 8.0, COMPARED TO THE HEDIS BENCHMARK OF 45.

WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE THE WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE AT BVMI IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE WOMEN'S HEALTH LITERACY AND HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES. WOMEN COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 65% OF BVMI'S 1,200 PATIENTS.THROUGH OUR WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE, GYNECOLOGICAL CARE ALSO BECOMES PART OF OUR FOLLOW-UP CARE FOR FEMALE PATIENTS. CARE IS PROVIDED ONSITE BY VOLUNTEER GYNECOLOGISTS AS WELL AS ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES WHO ARE WOMEN'S HEALTH SPECIALISTS. THIS INCLUDES A REFERRAL FOR A MAMMOGRAM FOR WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 40 WHO HAVE NOT HAD THIS SCREENING TEST IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS - SO THAT WE CAN DETECT ANY BREAST HEALTH ISSUES BEFORE THEY REACH A SERIOUS STAGE. IN 2021, 554 UNIQUE WOMEN PATIENTS SAW WOMEN'S HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IN 382 VISITS. 375 PATIENTS RECEIVED AN ORDER FOR A MAMMOGRAM, AND 70% COMPLETED THE SCREENING.