Media Contact: Michael Schwartzberg, GBMC Media Relations Manager

(O): 443-849-2126/Cell: 410-258-3465

Doctor & Nurse Highlight Free Healthcare Clinic For Hurricane Katrina Victims GBMC Grand Rounds Presetion March 2:]

“Health Care Crisis After Katrina: How Did We Respond?”

BALTIMORE, Md. – February 26, 2007 – Much of the New Orleans community still faces a healthcare crisis, 1½ years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region and left many without much needed medical care.  GBMC physician Carol Ritter, a GYN, has traveled with disaster relief charity Operation Blessing International to the region to provide free healthcare and reports “it looks like a third world country.”

On March 2, 7:30-8:30 a.m. in GBMC’s Civiletti Conference Center (Room C, Physician’s Pavilion East), Dale Betteron, M.D. and his wife, nurse practitioner Dorothy Davison, founders of the International Medical Alliance (IMA), will present a GYN Grand Rounds (“Health Care Crisis After Katrina: How Did We Respond?”), highlighting a free clinic the pair operate in conjunction with Operation Blessing in New Orleans East, one of the areas hardest hit by Katrina and an area which remained underwater for months.  Organizers expect at least 35 GBMC physicians to attend. IMA is a nonprofit organization that provides free medical services to impoverished regions of the world since 2001.

“I was one of a number of doctors at the free clinic just after New Year’s and saw many women who hadn’t had any GYN care at all in 16 months,” said Dr. Ritter. “There is still a significant healthcare crisis in that area.” The clinic sees about 60 patients daily and addresses many medical problems, including minor acute conditions, chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, women’s health, dentistry and mental health issues.   In one day, Dr. Ritter noted, the clinic distributed $23,000 worth of pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Betterton and Davison will present the unique response of Operation Blessing and International Medical Alliance in demonstrating the important role played by faith based charities in disaster response. “Organization and leadership from the medical community in these types of emergency situations is essential,” Dr. Ritter said. “This situation could happen to any overpopulated urban area in the country.  No one is totally immune from this type of medical and social tragedy.”

Even before the hurricane, Louisiana ranked 49^th in state public health infrastructure, with 3.03 hospital beds per thousand, compared with a 3.26 average for other US cities, noted Dr. Betterton.  “Things are worse now.  Some months ago, only 1,700 of the previous 4,700 doctors had returned, with even bleaker numbers for nurses and other hospital workers and health care professionals. Into this void of healthcare resources, faith based organizations have stepped in and played a crucial role.”

Operation Blessing has funded a partnership with IMA to operate the free clinic in New Orleans, which opened in April 2006, and has since provided more than 15,000 people with free healthcare services. In January 2007, the clinic was temporarily expanded by 20,000 square-feet and hosted the Greater New Orleans Medical Recovery Week, which included 871 medical volunteers from all around the United States. During the week, volunteers treated 3,839 patients and performed 12,125 services, at a value of $1,075,954. Today, a number of physicians, nurses, medical assistants, counselors and others continue to volunteer at the clinic.

Editor’s Note: Media attendance at the March 2 Grand Rounds presentation is welcome – please contact Michael Schwartzberg or Dr. Ritter if you are interested in covering.  Dr. Betterton & Davison are also available for scheduled media interviews on Friday March 2 or Saturday March 3.

GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 292-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 60,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org

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