Become a Member Clinic
Good Samaritan Free Clinic: Knoxville
Research indicates a funded administrative core is crucial to the success of volunteer-based initiatives, such as free medical clinics. The FCI Administrative Office employs two staff members; an Executive Director and a Clinical Coordinator. Support through the FCI Administrative Office provides essential operational services such as insurance, accounting, tax filing, marketing, technology, education, meeting facilitation, association participation, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and resources.
Our thinking is; if we are able to generate support to ease the administrative burden off of community free medical clinics, support generated locally can be utilized toward direct patient service delivery at the free clinic site, which is and should remain our member clinic’s number one priority.
We believe there is strength in numbers – in terms of collaboration, education, awareness and impact.
Benefits/Services
Margaret Cramer Clinic: Des Moines
Free Clinics of Iowa meets the needs of member clinics, regardless of where they are in their development.
FCI provides assistance to community leaders in establishing new clinics, provides existing clinics with essential resources/templates for day-to-day operations and offers continual opportunities for education and collaboration with other free clinic leaders throughout Iowa.
Getting Started
- Assistance in facilitating stakeholder meetings within member clinic communities to establish support and awareness of free clinic initiation
- Assistance and templates for entering into Lease arrangements with the hosting site
- Assistance in establishing a member clinic Advisory Board/Council, if appropriate
- Assistance to establish member clinic bank accounts (If clinic chooses to join under the Free Clinics of Iowa 501c3 umbrella)
Operational Support
Jubilee Community Health Clinic: Waterloo
- Standard FCI organizational forms, policies and procedures for day-to-day operation
- Standard FCI volunteer applications, forms & links to optimize volunteer recruitment process
- Provide volunteer background checks for criminal, child abuse and adult dependent abuse records
- Maintain a master database of all member clinic volunteers and routinely verify all volunteers have an active, unrestricted license to practice in Iowa AND current malpractice coverage through the VHCPP or another means
- Under the IRS, 501c3, tax-exempt status of the organization, all donations and contributions are tax-deductible to the donor
- Standard FCI organizational thank you cards/receipts, expense reports & deposit reports, specifically designed to optimize year-end tax filing process
- Standard FCI script pads
- Provide general accounting and tax filing services (If clinic chooses to join under the Free Clinics of Iowa 501c3 umbrella)
- Provide insurance coverage for property, general liability, professional liability and medical malpractice, where the State’s VHCPP does not provide coverage
- Maintain physical space for medical records older than 5 years
- Assistance in understanding and utilizing the VHCPP, VFC or any other State program related to the operation of free clinics or services provided by free clinics
- Provide a technology workstation to every clinic member including; laptop, laptop case, all-in-one printer/copy/scan/fax machine, label printer, shredder, surge protector, software, 1st year anti-virus protection and training to utilize such workstation
- Provide marketing materials such as; custom flash/power point presentation, signage, flyers, brochures, banners, letterhead, envelopes, blank thank you cards, etc.
Collaborative Opportunities
Gateway Free Clinic: Clinton
- Facilitate continuing education opportunities for volunteer clinic leadership (ie: Volunteer Recruitment, Retention and Recognition)
- Facilitate Clinic Managers meetings approximately two times per year, focused on improving the day-to-day operations of member clinics and provide travel reimbursement for members outside Greater Des Moines area
- Facilitate collaborative and networking opportunities among member clinics
- Fundraising initiatives facilitated by FCI Central Office for support of member clinics
- Acquisition and Distribution of donated equipment and supplies to member clinics
- Through buying in bulk, pursuit of discounted pricing on equipment and supplies
- Advocacy on behalf of member free clinics to the media, legislative, business and civic leadership
- Continuous free clinic operation updates and communication to member clinics provided through FCI Central Office membership and/or participation in the National Association of Free Clinics, Free Clinics of the Great Lakes Region and various publications
- Quarterly FCI member newsletter distribution and development of FCI Annual Report for utilization by all members
Eligibility
Member clinics must comply with the State of Iowa’s definition of a Free Clinic:
“Free Clinic” means a facility, other than a hospital or health care provider’s office which is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and which has as its sole purpose the provision of health care services without charge to individuals who are otherwise unable to pay for the services. (Source: IA Code: 135.24)
Member Responsibilities
- Enter into a contractual agreement with Free Clinics of Iowa
- Adhere to the FCI Mission Statement
- Identify and Appoint a Volunteer Clinic Manager and a Volunteer Medical Director
- Clearly identify member clinic as part of Free Clinics of Iowa in print or any other means of media
- Display signage recognizing membership within Free Clinics of Iowa
- Encourage utilization of Free Clinics of Iowa marketing and print materials
- Encourage utilization of Free Clinics of Iowa templates/forms in clinic operation and reporting
- If member clinic chooses to join under the umbrella of the FCI 501c3 status: Track and submit expense and deposit records for general accounting and tax filing services.
- Track and submit volunteer reports for data collection, insurance purposes and verification of active, unrestricted licensure in the State & of Iowa
- Track and submit patient visit reports for accurate data collection regarding services & impact of free clinics within the State of Iowa
Membership Types
“Full Member”: Are eligible to receive all benefits/services as listed AND operate under the 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit status of Free Clinics of Iowa.
“Affiliate Member”: Are eligible to receive all benefits/services as listed with the exception of financial oversight, financial statement development and tax filing services. FCI Affiliate Members operate under their own or their host site’s 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit status.
Dues & Fees
As free clinics are limited in resources and operate through the efforts of volunteers, it is important to note that there are no membership fees associated with FCI and no administrative charges to FCI member clinics.
Useful Resources
- Free Clinics of the Great Lakes Region (FCGLR) – Annual conference offering for free clinic leadership in seven states.
- Iowa Collaborative Safety Net Provider Network (ICSNPN) – State-supported safety net collaborative.
- Iowa Prescription Drug Donation Program – State-supported pharmaceutical donation program.
- Vaccines for Children (VFC) – State-supported children’s vaccination program.
- Volunteer Health Care Provider Program (VHCPP) – State-supported volunteer provider indemnification program.
- Volunteer Physician Network (VPN) – Polk County Medical Society’s specialty provider referral program.