Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) is a successful model of health care that was founded by Dr. Jack McConnell in Hilton Head, South Carolina, in 1992.  Clinic by the Bay will be San Francisco's Volunteers in Medicine clinic.  VIM clinics utilize an often untapped community resource - retired physicians, nurses and other lay volunteers - to provide compassionate care, free-of-charge to the medically uninsured and underserved in their own community.  The Volunteers in Medicine Institute advocates on the national level for VIM and provides guidance and technical assistance to communities interested in starting their own VIM clinic.  See www.volunteersinmedicine.org for more information.

Clinic by the Bay has moved into a facility and is in final planning stages. The clinic will begin seeing patients on Tuesdays, 4 - 8 p.m. and Thursdays, 2 - 6 p.m. beginning late summer 2010. The clinic will expand to more days of service as we grow.  This site will keep you updated on our progress.

This clinic is located in the Excelsior/Outer Mission neighborhood of San Francisco -- 4877 Mission Street.

We are particularly in need of non-medical volunteers -- eligibility screeners, interpreters, computer educators. We will be holding Volunteer Open Houses on the following dates and times: Thursday, July 22, 4 - 7 p.m.; Tuesday, July 27, 1 - 4 p.m. and Saturday, July 31, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Stop by to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

Visits and services are free of charge.  We encourage voluntary contributions to assist with operations and supplies.   If patients need treatment or services that cannot be provided by Clinic by the Bay, we will assist in finding the needed medical care.  We cannot guarantee that services outside Clinic by the Bay will be provided free of charge.  

Staying true to the VIM model, we do not accept private or public health insurance.  As part of our eligibility and screening process, staff will assist eligible individuals with enrollment into MediCal and MediCare, as well as educate patients about other programs that are available.

Yes, bilingual staff and interpreters will be part of our volunteer workforce to provide care to non-English speaking patients.  We plan to have available Spanish, Chinese and Tagalog practitioners and interpreters during clinic hours.

Not necessarily.  Because the doctors, nurses and other health professionals who work at Clinic by the Bay volunteer their time, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to see the same practitioner each visit.

Clinic by the Bay is a California non-profit public benefit corporation.  It is operated by a Board of Directors.  Start-up planning and operations are led by a Project Manager.  Our project office is located in downtown San Francisco.

Tax-deductible contributions from the private sector fund and sustain our efforts.  This includes cash donations from individuals, organizations, businesses and corporations, foundation grants, as well as in-kind services and gifts.  In keeping true to the VIM model, Clinic by the Bay does not rely on any government funding.