Student-Coordinated Free Clinic Celebrates 10 Years of Serving the Community

With more than 1 million New Yorkers uninsured and the exponential rise in health care costs, there is a strong need for affordable, high-quality health services for uninsured New York residents. Since 1999, the Einstein Community Health Outreach (ECHO) Free Clinic, with the support of the Institute for Family Health (Institute) and its Walton Family Health Center, has been dedicated to providing free, comprehensive health care to the uninsured. This March marks the 10th anniversary that students from Einstein first teamed with the leadership of the Institute to address the needs of the uninsured in the South Bronx and neighboring communities.

Sarah Weiss, Jennifer Hsieh, Catherine Wei Despite its Bronx location, the ECHO Clinic treats patients from other New York City boroughs and suburban communities near the city. During its first year, the student-organized clinic served more than 100 patients. By 2001, it had served 1,000 individuals, and in 2007 the quantity reached 5,000. Today, the clinic provides medical care, health education, and social services amounting to more than 800 patient-visits per year. In addition, this past November, in an effort to better meet the health care needs of uninsured women, the clinic hosted its first-ever Women's Health Day. The special event offered more than 20 women from the local community the opportunity to receive basic women's health services while also providing one-on-one discussions concerning various women's health issues.

In recognition of its anniversary milestone, and to offer thanks to the Institute staff and Einstein faculty members and administrators who serve as their mentors, Einstein students involved in the ECHO Free Clinic hosted a celebratory banquet on Thursday, March 19, in Lubin Dining Hall. During the banquet, student representatives Jaime Schneider and Elizabeth Feuille presented awards to six influential mentors: Dr. Neil Calman, founder, president and CEO of the Institute, and clinical professor of family and social medicine and assistant professor of epidemiology & population health at Einstein; Maxine Golub, senior vice president for planning and development for the Institute; Dr. Maria Marzan, assistant professor of medicine at Einstein; Yvonne Eisner, FNP, Bronx regional clinical director for the Institute's ECHO clinic site; Dr. Hal Strelnick, professor of clinical family and social medicine at Einstein; and Dr. Amarilys Cortijo, medical director of the Mount Hope Family Practice Center, the ECHO Clinic, and the Institute's NYC Free Clinic, as well as associate professor of family and social medicine at Einstein. In addition, earlier in the week, the students held a charity run featuring a five-kilometer course through the neighborhood adjacent to Einstein's Morris Park campus. Held on Sunday, March 15, the event attracted nearly 100 runners, who helped raise more than $1,100 to support the operation of the clinic.

In delivering the keynote speech at the banquet, Dr. Calman noted, "I think we'd all prefer if ECHO didn't exist, since its existence represents the failures of our nation's health system. Most people can't get the kind of caring and love that you all give and the clinic is a tribute to your commitment. It is you students who make ECHO what it is."

Meagan Campol, Eddie Lawrence, Amarilys Cortijo, M.D. Following the keynote, students Eddie Lawrence and Meagan Campol presented a "State of the Clinic" report, noting both past accomplishments and future goals of the free clinic. They were joined by Dr. Cortijo, who highlighted milestones achieved at the clinic. Before running through the achievements she quipped, "Every Saturday morning I wake up and say "Oh gosh, I have to go there? By the end of the day I feel so much younger. The creativity, energy, and inspiration you bring is wonderful."

Next, Alessa Crossan and Justin Ady shared student reflections about what the ECHO Free Clinic has meant to them. Ms. Crossan said, "ECHO has been the primary great experience for me during my education at Einstein. I've learned what it means to care for patients, to give up time, and to communicate with both superiors and peers."

Mr. Ady concurred, "At ECHO, you gain experience that you can't get anywhere else. Volunteering at the free clinic has been one of the changing points in my Einstein experience."

The evening concluded with comments from Dr. Allen M. Spiegel, Einstein's dean, who had accepted the students' invitation to attend the special celebration. After thanking both the students and the supporters who make their work in the free clinic possible, Dr. Spiegel said, "It's been a privilege to learn about your efforts on behalf of the underserved members of our community. You have the hands-on opportunity to help eliminate health disparities. It's also wonderful to see the compassion you all show, curing if need be, but also preventing. More power to you, you're inspiring!"

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