BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE INC
75 ESSEX STREET NO 100, HACKENSACK, NJ 07601 www.bvmi.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: POWERED BY PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS, BVMI MEETS THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME, WORKING, UNINSURED ADULTS IN BERGEN COUNTY BY PROVIDING FREE, COMPREHENSIVE, PATIENT-CENTERED PRIMARY HEALTHCARE.

THE MISSION OF BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE, INC. IS TO PROVIDE FREE PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, REFERRALS TO FREE SPECIALTY CARE FOR WORKING, LOW-INCOME BERGEN COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE.

PRIMARY CAREAT OUR ONSITE MEDICAL CLINIC IN HACKENSACK, NJ, BVMI PROVIDES FREE PRIMARY, PREVENTIVE, CHRONIC AND URGENT CARE FOR BERGEN COUNTY ADULTS WHO WORK, BUT DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE. THIS INCLUDES A PRIMARY CARE EXAMINATION, CONDUCTED BY OUR VOLUNTEER PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, AND REFERRALS TO SPECIALISTS AT OTHER LOCATIONS WHEN NEEDED. THE SPECIALISTS IN OUR NETWORK ALSO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES AT NO COST TO BVMI PATIENTS.OUR VOLUNTEER MEDICAL TEAM OF 75 CLINICIANS DETECTS AND SUCCESSFULLY TREATS PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND OTHER CONDITIONS. ANOTHER 70 VOLUNTEERS PERFORM VITAL ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,550 ADULTS ANNUALLY, AND FEMALES COMPRISE 65% OF OUR PATIENT ROSTER. SUPPORT OF LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IS AVAILABLE, AS IS GUIDANCE FROM DIETITIANS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.

DIABETES PREVENTION, CARE, AND EDUCATION THE DIABETES PREVENTION, CARE, AND EDUCATION PROGRAM AT BVMI IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EARLY DETECTION, SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT, AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR OUR PRE-DIABETIC AND DIABETIC PATIENTS. THESE TWO CATEGORIES REPRESENT NEARLY 1/3 OF BVMI'S PATIENTS. UNCONTROLLED DIABETES CAN LEAD TO INCREASED RISK OF STROKE, HEART DISEASE, CIRCULATORY PROBLEMS AND NEUROPATHY, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, KIDNEY DISEASE - EVEN DEATH.THE INTAKE FOR ALL BVMI PATIENTS INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE EXAMINATION. IF RESULTS INDICATE THAT THEY ARE DIABETIC OR PRE-DIABETIC, THEY ARE REFERRED TO OUR DIABETES TEAM FOR FURTHER CARE AND FOLLOW-UP. WE WORK WITH THIS GROUP OF PATIENTS TO BRING THEIR CONDITION UNDER CONTROL AND UNDER MAINTENANCE. THIS INCLUDES PATIENT EDUCATION IN HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES, TRAINING FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES OR CAREGIVERS IN HOW TO MONITOR AND MANAGE DIABETES, AND MEDICATION AND SUPPLIES WHERE APPROPRIATE.

WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE THE WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE AT BVMI IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE WOMEN'S HEALTH LITERACY AND HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES. WOMEN COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 65% OF BVMI'S 1,550 PATIENTS.THROUGH OUR WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE, GYNECOLOGICAL CARE ALSO BECOMES PART OF OUR FOLLOW-UP CARE FOR FEMALE PATIENTS. CARE IS PROVIDED ONSITE BY VOLUNTEER GYNECOLOGISTS AS WELL AS ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES WHO ARE WOMEN'S HEALTH SPECIALISTS. THIS INCLUDES A REFERRAL FOR A MAMMOGRAM FOR WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 40 WHO HAVE NOT HAD THIS SCREENING TEST IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS - SO THAT WE CAN DETECT ANY BREAST HEALTH ISSUES BEFORE THEY REACH A SERIOUS STAGE. WE ALSO CONNECT OUR FEMALE PATIENTS WITH A MULTILINGUAL NURSE NAVIGATOR. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WOMEN'S HEALTH SPECIALISTS, SHE HELPS THE PATIENT UNDERSTAND HER HEALTH CONDITIONS AND ENCOURAGES COMPLIANCE WITH RECOMMENDED TREATMENT.

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