GSAA Debuts First Eye Clinic for the Uninsured in Southern Alameda County

from Greater Southern Alameda Area Pulse, December 2007

Building on the success of Saturday Surgery Day, a unique collaboration with Operation Access to provide free out patient surgeries and procedures to uninsured patients, the GSAA launched the first Operation Access Eye Clinic.

On Oct. 15, a team of 12 KP volunteers including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and medical assistants volunteered their time to provide 14 uninsured patients from southern Alameda County with free outpatient services. Patients, referred by community clinics in Union City, Hayward, and Fremont, received much needed services, such as screenings for diabetic retinopathy, eye exams using refraction, and consults for removal of cataracts.

“The clinic was a valuable opportunity to extend eye care services to patients who would otherwise not receive this kind of care,” said Mary Gregory, program director of Operation Access.

Operation Access Eye Clinic was initiated by Joseph Phaneuf, MD, a dermatologist at the Hayward Medical Center. He is also the volunteer director of Ashland Free Medical Clinic (AFMC), which serves uninsured residents in the communities of Ashland and Cherryland in southern Alameda County.

Responding to the needs of AFMC patients for specialty care, Dr. Phaneuf approached KP leadership with the idea to bring them into local medical centers to receive care. The result was to expand the existing Operation Access Saturday Surgery program in the GSAA to include specialty consults and therapeutic treatment through the Union City Eye Care Services Department.

As with the Saturday Surgery Day program, the time of the medical professionals and all medical services are donated by Kaiser Permanente. “We are happy to help out by providing care for patients who may be in danger of losing their sight,” said Mike Lahey, MD, and ophthalmologist specializing in retinal surgery.

Maxine Wanner and Angela Kinerman were critical to the clinic’s success by working with Operation Access staff to establish the screening process for patients and Arthur Ollivierre, MD, who helped to review potential cases and ensure they were appropriate.

Additional medical volunteers who participated in the first eye clinic include: Mehzabeen Ali, Maria Coronado, Rahim Gran, John Kearney, MD, Ronald Ng, OD, Alejandra Reyes, OD, Michael Walvick, OD, and Lily Yee, OD. Additional assistance was provided by Dr. Lahey’s sons and Matt Walvick.

The GSAA and Operation Access plan to hold another eye clinic before the end of 2007. For next year, plans include scheduling an eye clinic for every month.