Medworks’ Weekend of Free Medical Treatment to Build Foundation for Ongoing Care in Cleveland July 25-26 event at University Circle’s Walker Center

CLEVELAND, Ohio — July 13, 2009 — Medworks (http://www.medworksusa.org/) will provide free access for the uninsured and underinsured to a wide range of health care providers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26, at the W.O. Walker Center, 10524 Euclid Ave. Replacing May’s cancelled health care program at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Medworks has changed the format of the July event to be a pre-scheduled appointment only event. Those interested in scheduling vision or medical treatment should call a phone bank hosted by Channel 3 WKYC, starting July 13th, at 216-858-6250, or 877-790-7370.

More than 200 health care volunteers from University Hospitals of Cleveland, The Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System and the Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine will join forces that weekend to serve Ohio’s underserved population. Medworks hopes to lay the foundation for similar health clinics in the coming year. “We also want to plan specialty clinics in collaboration with local medical safety net providers,” said Karil Bialostosky, Medworks program director.

During the two days of Medworks, more than 1,000 medical patients, 200 vision patients and 200 dental patients are expected to be seen, without regard to income levels or residency requirements, said Zac Ponsky, Medworks founder and event organizer.

Health care providers and volunteers in northeast Ohio believe Medworks is well positioned to play an important role in local efforts to improve access and continuity of care to those otherwise barred from seeking care, explained Bialostosky, a former deputy director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health. “Now we will be spending time firming up commitments to establish an ongoing pool of volunteers and determining other resources we can leverage,” she said.


Both Bialostosky and Ponsky expressed their hope that health care professionals would make a commitment to volunteering a specific number of hours per year to these efforts. “We look forward to developments in national health care reform. However, people,” Bialostosky stressed, “need the access today"

Contact Information

Zac Ponsky

Event Organizer

Medworks

Contact via E-mail