Happy #GivingTuesday!If you or your closed ones feel generous today (or any other day actually), we would be so grateful for your donation to MyClinic
Mission MyClinic exists so that uninsured residents with limited financial resources have access to quality health services through a well-coordinated system of care.Vision MyClinic envisions being a facilitator in a process that results in a community that excels in planning and delivering health care to vulnerable populations, resulting in improved health, satisfied patients and providers, and efficient use of the community's health care resources.
Dear Friends and Sponsors,
MyClinic has been operating as an independent, not for profit, FREE CLINIC, for almost 5 years offering comprehensive health care to uninsured adults and children who have limited financial resources. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, staff, funders, and the community including Jupiter Medical Center, MyClinic provides high quality medical care, behavioral health counseling, diabetes and nutrition education, medication counseling and care coordination as well as lab and radiology services free of charge. Since its inception, MyClinic has become a true Medical Home for 2400+ people in need in our community.
Building Fund Update
Two years ago, a pioneer project was proposed - co-locating a free clinic with a federally qualified health center to further broaden the healthcare safety net in northern Palm Beach County. With help from donors and a loan from Valley National Bank, MyClinic purchased a 5,000 square foot medical office building and leases space within the facility to C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinic operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. Both entities provide services to their patients at this location. In less than two years, thanks to support from individual donors and foundations, MyClinic is more than half way towards the goal of totally eliminating the building loan and looks forward to being debt free.
MyClinic Needs Your Support!
We could not accomplish what we do without the countless hours and support we receive from our generous volunteers, partners and donors. We look forward to continuing our momentum through 2019 and beyond. “To whom much is given, much is expected“. Our family has participated in this community’s growth since 1983. Today, our family is honored to donate an additional property to accommodate MyClinic’s growth. We hope that you will consider investing in the health of our community by supporting MyClinic.
Dr. Ron Surowitz
MyClinic Chairman
Happy #GivingTuesday everyone!
If you or your loved ones feel generous today (or any other day actually), we would be so grateful for your donation. Every little counts when it is about people's health!
Sandra is a 35 year-old woman living and working in Jupiter. She was relatively healthy and only visited us once at MyClinic’s previous location. Sandra came back early 2018 as she experienced major difficulties breathing. Lab work, provided at no cost by Jupiter Medical Center, revealed a thyroid issue initially as well as very low hemoglobin levels. Our staff quickly scheduled an appointment to go over the results and suggested more tests. A large ovarian tumor was unfortunately discovered and surgery became necessary.
Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Anthony Shaya, OB/GYN specialist of Partners in Women's Health in consultation with gynecologic oncology specialist Dr. Donna Pinelli from Jupiter Medical Center, Sandra was able to receive surgery and treatments she needed. After a 3-week recovery, she was already feeling better and was able to return to work.
Sandra agreed to send a message to all the wonderful doctors, MyClinic staff and volunteers, generous donors and partners:
“I am so grateful for MyClinic’s willingness to help people like me, from my community. I am a person of faith and believe that, although I cannot repay you for the service and generous donation, God will reward you for all your good deeds.”
Volunteer Spotlight: Cathy Douglas
What motivated you to volunteer with us for the last 3.5 years? "MyClinic is a great place to treat underserved community members, to assist with complicated cases and to train volunteers. Besides being a registered nurse, I often scribe and translate at the same time. I enjoy doing this and the close interaction that I have with patients. You can really see the empathic drive of medicine at its best and MyClinic brings a major contribution to community health and education in our area."
How do you perceive MyClinic in terms of efficiency?
"The level of service here is phenomenal! We have become very effective, but also very flexible at what we do. In order to continue to grow, we need more committed providers to join our team. At the same time, we have become a popular volunteering place among pre-med students and aspiring nurses, who can gain first-hand practical experience while also finding the deeper meaning of a medical career."
MYCLINIC NEWS: Programs and Services
Food "Farmacy" For The Community
This summer, MyClinic was pleased to host Living Hungry Coalition’s Pop-Up Eat Well Center “Food as Medicine” Pilot Program to provide free grocery items, including fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrition education and diabetes assessments to food-insecure diabetic and at risk families in our area.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of partner organizations including: Living Hungry; South Florida Hunger Coalition; Poverello; Healthier Jupiter; Health Care District of PBC; Jupiter Medical Center; Diabetes Coalition of PBC and Keiser University, this program was a huge success with many participants experiencing improvements in health indicators.
A Succesful Diabetes Triple Aim Initiative
MyClinic launched a Diabetes Triple Aim Pilot Initiative in February 2018, aimed at simultaneously improving the health of our patients with type 2 diabetes, enhance patient experience and outcomes and reduce the cost of care for the benefit of the community. The program is based on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s model, funded by Healthier Jupiter and supported by Jupiter Medical Center, which provided a diabetes educator.
Monitored by MyClinic’s Care Coordinator Karen Herrera, participants received regular motivational phone calls, medication and nutrition counseling as well as behavioral health support including monthly group meetings.
Results to date show an average 3 point decrease in patients' A1C levels from 9 or higher to 6. The final meeting of the program took place on November 16 (pictures above). MyClinic will build on the lessons learned from this program to benefit all our patients and the development of future programs.
Kick-off of New Scribe Program
This fall, MyClinic has partnered with Florida Atlantic University's Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Jupiter to launch a Scribe Program that includes 10 FAU pre-med students who will be trained as scribes. Led by MyClinic volunteer Jason Baluja (left, portrayed in our September 2018 newsletter), students will learn
all about how to document patient history, physical exams and other notes provided by the clinician at the time of service. This will allow students to gain first-hand practical experience by interacting with our patients, staff and volunteers. Also, they will get the chance to perform this critical job of helping keep medical records of patients as accurate as possible, improving efficiency and enabling a continuum of care at the highest quality standards.
How You Can Help Us Make A Difference
Make a Gift Today
Your donation to MyClinic will help transform the health of our patients and our community. Visit us at myclinicjupiter.org to make your online donation via our secure platform OR print the donation form below:
Volunteer with MyClinic
We are always looking for dedicated volunteers, especially providers. For finding out more about all our volunteer opportunities, please call our office at 561-203-7511, visit our Facebook page or visit our website at www.myclinicjupiter.org
Consider the New Tax Law and Charitable Giving*
As we move close to the end of 2018, more people will start to think about how their charitable giving will be impacted by the new tax law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act nearly doubles the standard deduction in 2018 to $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for joint filers younger than 65, while capping or eliminating other deductions. That means it will no longer make sense for many taxpayers to itemize.
If you want to support organizations like ours while also deriving as much benefit as possible, Kiplinger* has a number of suggestions, several of which are highlighted here:
- Consider donating shares of appreciated stock or mutual funds. You can deduct the current value of the investment as a charitable contribution if you itemize, and you'll avoid paying capital gains taxes on the profits. Plus, the charity receives the full value of your investment. - If you are 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 from a traditional IRA tax-free to charity each year. It will count as your required minimum distribution (RMD) without being added to your adjusted gross income. Your charitable gift won't be taxed, as it would be if you were to take a distribution and then donate the cash to charity. Plus, keeping your RMD out of your adjusted gross income could help keep your income below the threshold for being subject to the high-income surcharge for Medicare parts B and D, as well as hold down the percentage of your Social Security benefits that are subject to taxes. You can also name a charity as the beneficiary of your IRA. That way, neither your heirs nor your estate will pay income taxes on the assets, and the charity will receive the full value.
*This information is intended to be informative, not tax advice. These are only some of the options available. Please consult a tax adviser for specific information.
MyClinic Staff
Amy Pepper, MBA, Executive Director
Diane Williams, Program Manager
Carlos Poveda, MHA, Business Operations Manager
Patricia Ferrer, Care Coordinator
Alexandra Davenport, Administrative Assistant
Eileen Donahue, Outreach
Thien Nguyen, Medical Records
Yvonne Santiago, LMHC, Behavioral Health Counselor
Board of Directors
Ron Surowitz, DO, Chairman
Douglas Brown, Vice Chairman
Debra Erickson, CPA, Treasurer
Barry Byrd, Secretary
Catherine Drourr, MD, Medical Director
Brian Cich
Suzanne Cordero
Donaldson Hearing
Jaime Lambrecht, MD, MPH
Terri Wentz
