Clinic ready to help Puerto Ricans.
In the coming weeks, an estimated 100,000 Puerto Rican Americans displaced by Hurricane Maria will arrive in Central Florida. For most, their first stop will be at the Disaster Relief Center at Orlando International Airport set up by Florida’s Office of Emergency Operations to ensure all are matched with critically needed resources. As the region’s largest free and charitable clinic, Shepherd’s Hope is a part of this effort, and we are bracing for the impact at our health centers.
On Oct. 3, we were there when the first three flights arrived from Puerto Rico, and we expect to remain on site, greeting more, for the next several weeks, possibly longer. Members of our staff and volunteers have been assisting with medical screenings for infectious diseases, surveying the refugees’ immediate healthcare needs like prescription refills and providing information about other essential medical services available in our community.
In addition, our on-site team is closely coordinating with the clinical staff at our five health centers to link those who have an immediate need for vital health-care services, working to ensure that our area emergency departments are not impacted. In the first week, we saw an increase of nearly 100 new patients seeking medical care. We know that number will rise considerably. The overwhelming response from these desperate fellow Americans who have lost nearly everything has been heartfelt and emotional as they share their stories of personal loss and need.
Shepherd’s Hope did not hesitate when asked to participate in this humanitarian effort, despite our limited personnel and the significant impact it would have on our clinics. Staying true to our mission of providing access to health-care services to the uninsured was never in question.
Already this year, we have seen a substantial increase in patients over last year to date, which has forced us to turn away some because of a shortage of volunteer licensed health-care professionals to treat them. The addition of these new evacuee patients, who need access to our services, threatens to strain our capacity beyond our breaking point.
Shepherd’s Hope’s greatest need right now is for more volunteer doctors, nurses and other licensed health-care professionals — especially those who are bilingual — to help us fill the immense need and continue to fulfill our mission. Financial donations also are critically needed to offset our increased staffing demands and the cost of purchasing essential medical supplies and medicines that were not anticipated in our operating budget.
Our team will remain at Terminal A at the Orlando International Airport to link every newly arriving man, woman and child to medical and case-management resources at Shepherd’s Hope and other community safety-net organizations until we are no longer needed.
We also gladly stand ready to welcome these fellow Americans at our health centers so that they receive the medical care and services they need and deserve.