This silly contradictory "yes but no and no but yes" stance re closure of this strategically important service from El Camino staff is puzzling and aggravating.

My FIRST question is: Why didn't they make a public announcement calling for more volunteers BEFORE they reached this crisis stage?

It seems to me that administrative oversight of this program is the main problem.

I would be interested in knowing which positions need filling, volunteer or otherwise. I might know someone that might interested.

Yes, this is a complete surprise. You would think that RotaCare Bay Area staff or board would be making this kind of decision. Staff is needed, but are they leaving because someone in El Camino Hospital management has said that they clinic will be closed? There seems to be adequate volunteer doctors.

El Camino Hospital has been a wonderful host to this clinic for almost 20 years. Funding has been provided and lab work provided that is so vital to the clinic operation. I hope the service to those that don't have Affordable Care can get service here, and the wonderful clinic facility can be made to support the uninsured.

Thanks for explaining the strange name's origin with the Rotary club. I always wondered about that.

From what I've read and heard, my understanding is that this situation is one of matching community resources and needs in a changing demographic landscape and not truly due to a single factor like staffing.
However, I'd really like to thank Rotacare for giving me the opportunity to volunteer for almost a decade. I'm certain that all applicants to med school write about their interests in giving back to the community. But the reality of practice once you graduate is different because our resources in this country are not equally shared. Rotacare was a place where I could feel like I at least partially fulfilled the hopes of my youth a few hours each month.
My hopes for the future are that we will find a more comprehensive solution to the health problems of this country. In the meantime, I hope Rotacares 200 plus volunteers can continue to find ways to serve their community which enriches all our lives.

Wow, I never even knew this clinic existed. When I was uninsured it would have been great to have known for my wife and children. Had many a nightmare trying to get care during that time. My wife lived with bronchitis for 2 months at one point because nobody would help us unless we would wait 12 hours in an urgent care unit. The problem isn't lack of patients, it's lack of outreach.

This article honestly has some holes.
- if they had to email the 200 doctors to tell them their upcoming shift is cancelled (or might be, or might not be, or whatever), then there isn't a staffing crisis.
- the article says that the hospital is looking for another way to serve patients
- the article says there is no shortage of funds
- the hospital has not (at least outright) said the use of the basement isn't working out for them any longer
So what's the deal? Is the current model not working? How/why? Do they need more volunteer nurses? Is the way tests are taken and read not working? Do they need more receptionist staff? Charts? Computers?
We live in an area nearly floating away in money. Just ask. We've got people who will make it happen. How can we save this clinic? It's not just 4 walls and a roof. It is almost literally life to so many families (with children) in our communities.
Beating around the bush won't help though. What's really going on?

JW, did you read the whole article closely before posting??

200 volunteer positions were emailed. Howeevr it says it closed because of a lack of mandatory staffing.

Presumably those 200 people who got email include the language translators and people like administrative, and the mandatory would be positions like physicians.

Why don't people read the story before writing a long reply?

Sad and shocked to hear of this news. The clinic is such a gem to the community. I was always happy to tour the facility with Leadership MV program members who didn't know it existed beforehand, and looked for ways to volunteer and support it otherwise. I hope the clinic can somehow be saved. It's the only RotaCare clinic on the area that's open more than one or two days a week.

I wouldn't assume that it is physicians who are lacking volunteers. Seems unlikely.

Language translators ARE mandatory staffing when working with someone not speaking English.

My suspicion is that it is some kind of clinic supervisor nursing role that is not being filled by volunteers like it used to be. There is a lot of mandatory bureaucracy in operating a clinic. Not surprising volunteers are scarce for some of that unrewarding paper work type stuff.

I never heard about this Free Clinic! I would've totally used them!

My knee has been messed up for months (if I put any pressure on it by kneeling or leaning on it wrong I will literally be screaming in pain), but I can't afford the co-pay my insurer requires if I visit a doctor due to pain/illness so I'm "living with it."

I tried to setup an appointment this morning but was told they are not accepting new patients and "everything's been cancelled."

Darn, would've been nice to get my knee back for 2016...

Any other options for me out there?

Just a few months ago the Voice reported that 'El Camino Hospital raked in more money than anticipated this fiscal year, ending with $65 million in extra cash -- and hospital officials won't have a problem finding ways to spend it.' Yet this article says 'although money is not the issue Hospital officials gave assurances that RotaCare could still use the donations.' So what exactly is the issue? If they are losing mandatory staffing then use some of that 45M to HIRE STAFF. The Rotacare budget is less than 1M. El Camino has the money. Appalling that this could happen. Web Link