In S. King County, an extraordinary effort to bring better health

“Sustainable Williamson” combined ideas and initiatives from local officials, community members, nonprofit organizations to address both the economy and the well-being of a community where unemployment and drug use were climbing.

The Global Response Management is a humanitarian nonprofit led by U.S. military veterans and staffed by U.S. volunteers and "paid asylum seekers who were medical professionals in their homelands" that offers medical help to migrants at two clinics in Matamoros, Mexico – including, most recently, COVID-19 antibody tests. Although the organization's future is uncertain, it is not alone in its efforts, and it and other humanitarian aid organizations plan to continue collecting health data.

To better serve Mexican citizens living in the U.S., the Mexican government created an initiative known as Health Windowns that helps bridge the gap between immigrants and preventive health care access. Although anyone is welcome to visit the free resource centers or any of the community pop-ups for medical attention, the program targets those who lack health insurance or are hesitant to receive traditional medical care.

The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is a mobile health clinic bringing care to uninsured, rural residents in Tennessee. The initiative has reached nearly 250 people since it started, providing care to six different towns once per month. With the costs of health care without insurance being enough to turn people away from seeking it, this clinic provides medical evaluations, medicine, and lab work – all with the hope of rebuilding trust between communities and the healthcare system.

It is not uncommon for senior citizens to face mobility issues, but a clinic in Guanacaste is working to "boost mobility for senior citizens and, along with it, their independence and safety." The program, which attendees eventually graduate from, places individuals of similar ability in groups where they work on mobility techniques with a physical therapist while also socializing with their peers.

In order to battle the government healthcare gaps, the time lost from workers leaving to seek medical attention, and the closing of hospitals, some rural companies have opened their own clinics nearby. This way workers can get medical attention quickly and efficiently, and keep physicians nearby even if hospitals close.

Al-Shifa Free Health Clinic is located in an underserved area of San Bernardino. The clinic sees over 200 patients every month for specialized medical treatment and dental care, as they employ volunteer doctors from myriad specialties.

Hidalgo Medical Services is a nonprofit public health clinic that has set out to develop a model for delivering quality, affordable health care to rural communities through a comprehensive approach that addresses multiple patient needs at once.

Hospitals in New York improve healthcare quality and reduce medical costs by staying in frequent contact with patients requiring frequent or long-term care. Montefiore's Accountable Care Organization pulls in care providers from across the medical and social spectrum to improve patient health while curbing expenses.

The PhiferCares Clinic and pharmacy offers its employees and their families free healthcare and prescriptions. Phifer, a global manufacturing company, opened the clinic five years ago as a way to prevent medical bills from driving coworkers into debt and keeping them from retirement. This no-cost access to healthcare has helped 90% of Phifer employees hit their retirement goals, up from about 75% five years ago.