Humanitarian Assistance for Medical Tests and Treatments

PHR-Israel seeks donations for the coming year to assist patients cover the costs of advanced care we are unable to provide on-site. Such examinations and treatments include:

• Surgeries and Procedures: As part of Israel's Patients Rights Law, life-saving treatment is available for anyone, regardless of legal and economic status, in hospital emergency rooms. Unfortunately, however, this does not cover many different types of procedures that are essential for health but not necessarily endangering the patient's life at the given moment. Donations would help patients undergo these procedures which commonly include tumor-removal and chemotherapy for cancer patients, hernia repair, hemorrhoid surgery, kidney stone removals, and gynecological surgeries.

• Abortions: While women who become pregnant as a result of rape receive abortions funded by the State, many additional women need help paying for abortions. Women who have recently been released from Israeli detention centers often have nowhere to sleep and are taken in by fellow asylum seekers on the condition of sex. These women do not report these incidents as rape and often do not have enough money to pay for abortions if they become pregnant. In addition, women have reported that partners prefer not to use condoms, also resulting in unwanted pregnancy. While the Open Clinic hands out informational sheets about safe-sex, distributes free condoms, and facilitates birth control for women, additional donations would help women we do not or cannot reach undergo abortions.

• Examinations to Determine Diagnosis: Many patients cannot afford the many examinations needed to ascertain a patient's medical condition, including blood tests, biopsies, imaging including ultrasounds, cat scans (CT), MRI, and x-rays, and gastroenterological tests like endoscope and colonoscopy. Donations would enable us to assist patients undergo such examinations so they can clarify their medical conditions.

• HIV/AIDS Follow Up: Patients with HIV need to undergo several blood tests twice per year as an essential part of their follow up process. The results of these blood tests are presented to an immunologist who writes a letter describing the results to the Israel AIDS Taskforce, a human rights group that organizes a waiting list for distribution of donated Anti-Retroviral Medications. Currently, this organization is only able to provide medications for 30 percent of patients. Donations would enable us to help patients cover the cost of these blood tests which after our discount, cost 2,500 NIS (660 USD) per year.

• Movement Assistance: Many orthopedic and physiotherapy patients require crutches, wheel chairs, or orthopedic shoes to help them recover from injuries. Often such conditions arise because patients endure torture in their home countries or on the way to Israel or they are injured from work-related accidents because of unsafe working conditions. Donations would enable us to help patients cover the costs of such equipment, greatly increasing their quality of life.

Prices for such examinations and treatments are already offered at a reduced cost. Over the years, the Open Clinic has formed relationships with private physicians, area hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, and other medical facilities to offer our patients medical treatment at discounted prices. In addition, all patients receiving financial assistance from PHR-Israel have been approved by a funding committee comprised of volunteer physicians who prioritize patients according to medical need and often change the recommended follow up in favor of lower cost treatment, without compromising medical care.

Medications and Equipment for the Open Clinic

The pharmacy at the Open Clinic is mostly stocked by medications donated in-kind. Over the coming year, we will need to purchase medicines to fill gaps in our inventory and stock our pharmacy. Such medications include aspirin and ibuprofen, and antibiotics in both pill and syrup form (for adults and children). For example, many of our HIV patients cannot afford anti-retroviral medications but take basic antibiotics from our Clinic as a way to compensate for the lack of available treatment. In addition, we seek support to stock asthma treatments including ventolin inhalers and preventive medicines. A full list of needed medications can be supplied upon request.

In terms of equipment, our Clinic is seeking donations to purchase stethoscopes, blood pressure monitors, otoscopes, and weight scales. Such equipment is required for physicians and nurses to provide basic primary medical care. Many patients report weight loss as a symptom to their ailments and several physicians have mentioned that this would be an important addition to our Clinic. Moreover, many of our diabetic patients are in follow up with dieticians, who require scales to guide their nutritional advice.

Staff Costs

While hundreds of medical and administrative volunteers contribute their time and expertise to respond to the medical needs of our patients, our Clinic would not function without a salaried Clinic Manger and Patients Intake Coordinator. The Open Clinic Manager recruits and schedules with Israeli physicians, nurses, medical students, and receptionists to volunteer at the Open Clinic. The Manager is also responsible for the pharmacy's inventory, issuing financial coverage for patients' treatment, and forming agreements for discounted or free treatment for our patients with hospitals, private clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and other medical facilities. In addition, the Manager works with various human rights organizations to create joint initiatives. Over the last six months, such programs included our translators course, women's escorting and counseling project, and the mental health assistance program. The Clinic Manger works full time.

The Patients Intake Coordinator organizes the referrals for all patients needing additional care offered both on and off site. Over the last six months, she coordinated 6,137 referrals, over 1,000 per month. As part of her role in coordinating referrals, she also finds solutions for patients needing advanced treatment—including cancer and HIV patients—by working with volunteer physicians to offer pro bono care on an ad hoc basis. In addition, she manages all receptionist volunteers, both for the morning and evening shifts, and runs training sessions once per month to update volunteers on clinic procedures and protocol. The Patients Intake Coordinator works full time.

Thank you for considering our needs at this time. We would be happy to provide additional explanation or information as necessary.

Gila Norich                          
Director of Development        
gila@phr.org.il