Ashtabula County Airport Authority Helping Remote Area Medical Clinic

December 14, 2017 

 

Another positive community impact by one of our members, the Ashtabula County Airport Authority.  Continue reading....

A Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic will be arriving April 20-22 at the Ashtabula Towne Square, offering free medical, dental and vision services to area residents.  Ashtabula’s Community Host Group Leadership Team for this event, which is comprised of area professionals, leaders and volunteers, is hosting Ohio’s first RAM Clinic in Ashtabula.The Ashtabula County Airport Authority board has offered to furnish water bottles and offered to accommodate any aircraft associated with the event.

Ashtabula County Commissioner J.P. Ducro IV said volunteers are needed, as the services offered will depend on the professional volunteers willing to participate. Volunteers are being sought in the medical, dental, vision and general practice areas. “This will be a great way to give back and truly feel good about helping others,” he said. “The goal is to provide health care to several hundred people per day.” 

No insurance is required and the event will be free and open to the public. Patients only need to line up for services the night before each day of service. Patient admission tickets will be given out beginning at 3 a.m. and participants must be present to receive a ticket. Services will begin at 6 a.m. each day. 

Ashtabula podiatrist Lori Herpen said such a clinic is “absolutely necessary” in Ashtabula County.  “People may have insurance but many are under insured, especially when it comes to vision and dental services,” she said. “Co-pays are steep and some people can’t afford it.”

The clinic’s services will be offered first come, first served. Medical services may include annual physical exams, women’s health services, immunizations, diabetes screening and more.  Dental services may include cleanings, fillings and extractions. Vision services may include screenings, eye exams and glasses made on site.  With their mission statement in mind, “To prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free, quality health care to those in need” RAM has served more than 700,000 people nationwide with care valued at more than $114 million. 

Herpen said the clinic is coming to Ashtabula County thanks to former residents Ken and Heather Johnson. They relocated to the Las Vegas area, where they participated in a RAM there.  “Heather (Johnson) got so excited,” she said. “She said, ‘Ashtabula needs this.’”  In the past, Herpen and her husband, Ashtabula podiatrist John DeCato, have gone on medical mission trips outside of the United States. The Johnsons asked them if they would help bring RAM to Ashtabula. 

For more information or to find out how you can get involved with the RAM Ashtabula Clinic, please email [email protected] or call 440-990-1919.

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