Alliance to have a Community Garden!

Partnering with The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Alliance Medical Ministry will welcome a Community Garden to it's grounds later this month.  On September 19th, community members from Edenton Street United Methodist Church and kids from the adjacent Boys & Girls Club will be among those helping to plant the first fall vegetables.  The garden will have a spring planting as well.   Regular volunteers are needed to help tend the garden throughout the year and are welcome to show up at Alliance Saturday the 19th at 9:00 am to help out.

Located at the corner of New Bern Avenue and Donald Ross Drive, the garden will offer a food source to those in the local community who are served by The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.  Alliance wishes to thank Bland Landscaping and Members of the Inter-faith Food Shuttle for assisting with this novel and fun project.

For more information on the community garden project visit Inter-faith food shuttle community garden

Or call Regina Hexeux, Director of Community Outreach with Alliance at (919)250-3320 x422

Alliance hits the airwaves, launches acute care clinic

Check out August 13th's broadcast on ABC11 TV announcing Alliance's Acute Care Clinic launch. ABC11 airs story on Alliance Acute Care Clinic launch

Full Story:

By Sheyenne Rodriguez

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A Raleigh health clinic says the number of working uninsured people has grown so much, that it had to open a new clinic to handle the demand.

For a few dollars, those who can't afford health insurance can get treatment for all kinds of ailments.

"I was at work and I couldn't see," one patient said. "It was like, my eyes were blurry, so I drove myself to WakeMed to the emergency room and they diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes."

The patient told Eyewitness News she did not want to be identified in case he employer recognized her. She said Wednesday was her first time at the new Alliance Medical Ministry.

"I don't know what I would have done without them because with the co-pay and the medicine, the insulin that they put me on is regularly $100 and they helped me get it," she explained. Ten dollars is what I paid for it."

She is one of almost two million people across the state without health insurance.

"I can't tell you the last time I went to the dentist," she said. "I can't afford it."

That number has grown so much that Alliance Medical Ministry recently opened a new acute care clinic and expanded its hours.

"Well, the need is overwhelming, it's indisputable," said Sean Harrison with the Alliance Medical Ministry. "There are just so many folks who don't have access to basic medical care let alone a primary healthcare home. I see it in patients that smile and patients that cry because they're so impacted."

"I mean, I think what he's trying to do is good to help people," the patient said. "I just think that it's got to be more. I mean, I'm not the only person out there that's uninsured."

Alliance Medical Ministry charges on a sliding scale based on income. Visits are usually $10 to $25.

Alliance Medication Garden in final stages

Work is moving right along for the last Capital Campaign project at Alliance, the Meditation Garden.  Made possible with gifts from The Fenwick Foundation and Stuart and Tricia Phoenix, this area, situated just outside Alliance's Curtis chapel, will be a quiet place of medication and prayer for patients, staff and community members.   Landscaping will be laid down in the Fall to avoid hot and dry summer conditions when planting is discouraged.  It looks like we will be having an on-site event to celebrate the garden's completion, stay tuned for full details!

Alliance to receive Rx vending machines - watch YouTube Video

Watch this link with Alliance's  Nicole Emswiler, Pharm D. as she describes a new service offering common Over the Counter and Prescription drugs through a vending machine.  This system, traditionally seen in hospitals, is now spreading to primary health clinics.Click the link below and turn up your volume!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap8DfUBlcfk]

Alliance patient speaks on National Health Care Reform

Health care reform is a major priority in Washington and North Carolina.  There are estimated to be over 2 Million people in the state and 120,000 in Wake County without health insurance.  Alliance patient Gail Johnson spoke at a Health Care Forum on July 22, 2009 in Raleigh and told her story about the financial, physical and emotional cost of being uninsured.  Though working for the same company for the past five years, she does not have employer-sponsored medical benefits.  In the past Gail was not able to afford routine diabetes medication and testing supplies that cost 30% of her total monthly income, nor did she have a primary care provider directing her care.  During that time period, her health deteriorated to where her condition forced her to WakeMed’s Emergency Room.

Since establishing a health care home at Alliance, Dr. Lewis is Gail’s personal physician and she qualifies for reduced fee medications with the help of Nicole Emswiler, PharmD.  Overall, her health and outlook on life has dramatically improved.  She says “ I’ll never be able to pay off the hospital bill from my ER visit, but at Alliance I’m able to receive consistent and quality care that I can afford.  More people need the kind of care I receive” Her comment brought cheers to the crowd.

Alliance hosts first ever Mobile Mammography screening

Saturday July 11th, Alliance hosted it's first Mobile Mammography event, sponsored by Rex Breast Cancer Center.  Sixteen uninsured women of Wake County were screened and received information on breast cancer health, all free of charge.  This event was organized by Alliance Outreach Director Regina Heroux, RN, MS, OCN,along with the team at Rex Cancer Center. Alliance's next community event is August 15th at Chavis Park and co-sponsored by Wake County Human Services.  AMM will provide blood pressure checks and provide information on clinic services.  For more information, contact Regina Heroux at (919)250-3320 x 422

Alliance Meditation Garden nears completion.....

Alliance's planned Meditation Garden is set for completion by early August, bringing the last project of The Hope & Healing Campaign to an end.  Made possible with a grant from The Fenwick Foundation, Stuart and Tricia Phoenix and with generous support of Liggett Design Group, Bland Landscaping and Lawrence Construction, the garden will be a quiet place of meditation and prayer for staff, patients and community.  A ceremony to dedicate the garden is tentatively set for mid-September.  View photos of work underway and stay tuned for updates!