Cabrini Clinic Volunteer Shares the Importance of Michigan’s Safety Net
Ashley Hennen
| 2 min read
Research has found that those without access to health care have disproportionately high number of health problems in comparison to the insured. In 2009, the Institute of Medicine reported that a lack of insurance results in more than 45,000 unnecessary deaths per year. In comparison to the insured, uninsured adults have a 40% greater risk of death. Luckily, there’s a safety net of free and low-cost health clinics. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Strengthening the Safety net grants help make sure these clinics are there for those that need it most. One of the Safety Net Grant recipients, Cabrini Clinic in Detroit, is the oldest free clinic in the country. Providing primary medical care, prescription assistance and mental health services, this clinic is on the front line in helping economically disadvantaged members of the community—and has been since 1950. Greg Baise, a volunteer pharmacist at Cabrini Clinic, sits down with every single patient on every new or refill prescription and goes through how and when to take each one. Through his work, he’s gotten to know quite a few patients in the clinic. In this interview from the Healthier Michigan Radio Show, Baise gives us an in-depth look at why the “safety net” and free clinics are essential in making sure everyone in our community has access to the health care they need. Listen to the full discussion here. https://soundcloud.com/bcbsmnews/healthier-michigan-radio-show-october-2014-greg-baise Photo credit: Cabrini Clinic
