Welcome to Volunteers in Medicine!

Volunteers in Medicine is a medical clinic. We take care of adults who do not have health insurance and do not make a lot of money. We also call ourselves “VIM.”

At VIM you can:

• Make an appointment to see a doctor;
• Get prescription medications filled;
• Talk to a counselor;
• Learn how to take good care of your health.

There is no cost to come to VIM. We will ask you for a donation each time you come to the clinic for a visit. These donations help to keep the clinic open for you, your family, and your friends.

Here are the donations we suggest:

• A doctor or other medical visit: $10-$15 suggested donation per visit.
• Prescription medication: $5-$10 suggested donation when you pick up a medication at the VIM pharmacy.

If you do not have the money to make a donation, come anyway. We want you to get the medical care that you need. When you do have money, you can donate then.

All of the doctors, nurses, and volunteers at VIM donate their time to care for you. This means they work without being paid. The clinic still needs money to pay for medical supplies, equipment, electricity, maintenance, computers, and phones. The money you donate at each visit helps to pay for these things. Your donations help to keep the clinic open for people, like you, who need our help.

No. 

No. VIM is not insurance. We will give you a card that says you are a VIM patient, but it is not an insurance card. VIM patients do not have insurance.

No. We do not pay any bills that you already have. We also do not pay bills that you might get in the future from the Emergency Room or other places.

Some people who work at VIM do speak Spanish, but many do not. We have interpreters to help you communicate with us. The interpreters also help us communicate with you. They want to help. Please ask for an interpreter if you do not understand something.

Yes. All of VIM’s doctors, nurses, and other medical workers are trained professionals. They can work at any medical clinic. They choose to be at VIM as volunteers.

A volunteer is someone who is not paid for their work. Volunteers are here because they have very big hearts. They want to help you with your health, even if they are not paid. Over 300 people volunteer at VIM.

No. We have different volunteers every day. Most volunteers work only one day a week. Some come only once a month.

Instead of having just one doctor, you will have many. If someone asks you if you have a doctor, please tell them “Yes, I have all of the doctors at Volunteers in Medicine.”

All of your medical information is put into the computer. The computer makes it easy for doctors to share your medical information with each other. When doctors come to the clinic they can see everything they need to give you the best possible care.

Yes. We also have a few people who are employees at VIM. They oversee each area of the clinic. VIM employees are here to help the volunteers – and you!

Yes. Once a patient signs all their paperwork from the eligibility screening, they may make an appointment to see a doctor. We do not see patients without an appointment.

Yes. Once you become a VIM patient, many of your prescription medications can be filled by VIM’s charitable pharmacy. Take your prescriptions to the pharmacy window to learn how VIM can help you. 

When you leave a voicemail message…

Your voicemail message should always include:

• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your phone number
• The best time to call you back
• The reason why you are calling