Since its opening last February, the RotaCare Pittsburg Free Medical Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul has provided quality health care to more than 525 uninsured adults with acute or chronic medical conditions. Eighty-seven percent of the clinic’s patients have incomes that fall below the federal poverty level.

The clinic was developed by St. Vincent de Paul, is sponsored by the Rotary clubs of Alamo and Pittsburg and co-sponsored by eight additional Rotary clubs. Of the patients seen, 227 were from Pittsburg, 158 from Antioch, 25 from Oakley, 27 from Brentwood, 32 from Bay Point and 19 from Concord. The clinic has also treated patients from Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Pleasant Hill, Discovery Bay, Sacramento and as far away as Chicago and Mexico.

The most common diagnoses are diabetes, hypertension, allergies, asthma, thyroid disease, musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disease, and circulatory system diseases.

The clinic staffs eight volunteer doctors, 25 volunteer nurses, three volunteer pharmacists and two pharmacy techs. More doctors, doctor’s assistants, nurse practitioners and bi-lingual social workers are needed, plus volunteers for patient data entry Wednesday evenings or any time on Thursday.

The Rotary Clubs of Alamo, Antioch, Brentwood, Danville, Danville/Sycamore, Delta Antioch, Dougherty Valley, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon and San Ramon Valley have raised $15,700 to be used for the purchase of pharmaceutical supplies and medical supplies and equipment. A matching grant request was submitted to Rotary District 5160 and the full amount was approved, giving the clinic a total of $31,400.