Some of our volunteers are already involved in supporting the mission of these Promotores. Dr. Marty Greenberg, a gynecologist, is conducting a "dysplasia" clinic one day each month to assess and treat patients with abnormal pelvic findings. Mary Fox and Roz Hirst, Kaiser midwives, will perform routine pelvic and breast examinations at a monthly clinic.

Academic Support
Dr. Bron Anders, of UCSD Community Pediatrics, has worked in the clinic with residents for several years. Many of our volunteer trainers are associated with the UCSD Medical Center.

We are currently discussing additional academic participation from the UCSD Department of Family Medicine, the SDSU School of Public Health and the SDSU School of Nursing.

We believe that working with the academic community will help us to provide ever more effective medical care and community health education.

Coalition with Promcion Y Accion Social
The future Promotores training programs will be organized under Dra. Myriam Saavedra of the Promocion y Accion Social. (or PAS.) The PAS is a coalition of eight organizations in the Tijuana area which share a common mission and all of which train Promotores. This coalition is working together with Dra. Saavedra to develop the most effective programs possible to contribute to the communities of Tijuana. We look forward to working with this coalition.

Please note that we are planning to conduct two courses for Promotores each year.

New Clinic Services
Laboratory services are now available at the clinic several days each week. The laboratory can do stat lab work such as CBCs, UAs, Accuchecks etc as well as chem panels.

A functional EKG is again available.

We also plan to reorganize our Pharmacy to have a formulary and a computerized medications control program.

Expanding Hours
Last year over 7,400 patients were seen and the number of patients steadily increases.

The clinic is now working with just one volunteer nurse and would be most interested in nurses interested in working to support its daily clinical work.

The clinic will extend its hours to provide afternoon clinics when sufficient personnel are available. Volunteer Nurse Practitioners and physicians may have an important opportunity to work in such afternoon clinics.

You Are Needed
We are very appreciative of our IRT volunteers and we thank you for the splendid job you have done

As you have seen, there are many changes taking place that should provide even more effective clinical care and community health education.

There are excellent opportunities for those volunteers who wish to help.

New programs are being organized as we read. We are ready to assign volunteers. We are now signing up and completing paperwork for volunteers so as to be ready.

We Need Your Ideas
"NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS FIRST A DREAM".... Carl Sandberg

We have before us exciting opportunities to make a difference. We need to know your dreams, your vision and your ideas of how best to support the Clinica Esperanza's mission to serve its community.

Contact Us
Please send any thoughts or ideas to either me or Rose Urgana by e-mail. If you wish we can meet to discuss the future of the clinic.

Also if any of you would be interested in working more closely with Rose and me in planning and organizing our future programs please let us know. Such participation would not require much time and could be interesting and rewarding.

Respectfully,

Ollie Biederman MD
IRT Volunteer Team Leader for Clinica Esperanza