Clinica Romero Essay, Research Paper

Named after the martyred Salvadoran archbishop and dedicated to the people that

he also served, Clinica Romero is a free clinic offering no-questions-asked,

pay-whatever-you-can medical and dental services and prescriptions to everyone

who comes to its door. The clean and bright facility is located in the basement

of the Royal University of America’s Oriental Medical Center, Straightforward in

its operation, Clinica Romero originally offered all its medical services

through volunteer physicians, although access to some grant money recently has

made it possible to hire a half-time physician, and Margaret Martinez is working

on a creative plan to pay part of the salary of a supervisor from the University

of Southern California Medical School, who would work on the clinic’s site to

oversee a cadre of interns and medical residents who’d help provide medical

services there. Meanwhile, however, it efficiently delivers medical services six

days a week (including two evening sessions) with a group of about 15 local

physicians who volunteer their services on a rotating basis. In a series of

related programs driven by project-specific funding, Clinica Romero also

provides health education (particularly AIDS/HIV), and an alcohol and

drug-prevention program that includes a community-organizing component aimed at

ensuring that the neighborhood’s 456 (!) liquor stores and bars don’t flout the

laws regarding loitering and sales to minors. With a staff of 23 and a $1

million annual budget, Clinica Romero faces a rising tide of patients, with the

numbers served increasing from 3,500 three years ago to an expected 11,000 this

year. With welfare "reform" denying Medicaid to many legal immigrants,

these numbers aren’t likely to decrease.