PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A free medical, dental, and vision clinic for those in need is popping up this weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.
"Our mission is to prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free quality health care to those in need,” said Kim Faulkinbury, the clinic coordinator of the Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic. The non-profit pop-ups, funded by small donations, help those with no access to health care.
The clinic has no pre-registration and no prerequisite to receive free care, but Faulkinbury said that patients have to arrive early at a registration location near the corner of Seventh and Vine streets.
"We are going to be taking patients in at the parking lot,” said Faulkinbury. “We will be transporting patients from that parking lot to the convention center throughout the day."
Those who register at the parking lot will get a number for when they arrive at the convention center.
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The clinic opens at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The parking lot will be open by midnight or earlier.
“Once you arrive on-site, you do need to stay until you are seen,” Faulkinbury added.
“We recommend that people bring food and water, any medications that they take.”
Faulkinbury said that due to the long lines, patients will have to choose each day if they need dental or vision care.
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"If a patient does need both dental and vision care, they can come both Saturday and Sunday and do one on one day, and one the next,” said Faulkinbury.
"You have to pick between dental and vision services, simply because the lines for those two services get so long. It's not really possible to be in both in one day."
Faulkinbury said that she has worked at these clinics since 2015.
"We at Remote Area Medical are here to help fill in the gaps in our system. We know that there is a great need out there,” she said.
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"The pain that people can deal with on an everyday basis just continues to astonish me."
Anyone interested in receiving clinic services or in volunteering can get more information online at ramusa.org. They can also call the clinic with questions at 865-579-1530.
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