Doc in a Bus celebrates 10 years of service
Published 3:36 pm Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Doc In a Bus celebrated its 10th anniversary at the facility’s headquarters on Tuesday morning.
All of Doc in Bus’ community partners had representatives at a cake-cutting celebration: UAB Selma Family Medicine, Vaughan Regional Medical Center, Fathers of St. Edmund, Weaver Parrish Charitable Trust and United Way of Selma and Dallas County.
The free clinic offers free service to people without health service. It went from operating out of a renovated camper stationed at the Salvation Army office to a building on 1432 Broad St. provided by the Fathers of St. Edmund.
Volunteer physicians from UAB Selma Family Medicine staff the clinic each Friday, including Dr. Naveed Butt, Dr. Hamid Qazi, and Dr. Namira Tiwari. Dr. Tiffani Maycock, program director of the Selma Family Residency Program, provides doctors to the clinic.
United Way of Selma and Dallas County provides administrative support, grant support and funding. HealthLink’s partnership with Vaughan Community Health Services helps patient get their prescription drugs free or at a reduced cost.
United Way of Selma and Dallas County Executive Director Jeff Cothran said it’s all of the partnerships that makes Doc in a bus work effectively. The United Way campaign was also announced at the event.
“It has been successful,” Cothran said. “This is the type of proactive partnership that Selma needs, not a giveaway, but a means for families to be able to provide for themselves.”
Since opening, the clinic has seen over 6,000 patients. Every Friday, the clinic sees an average between 20 and 35 patients. For the year, the clinic sees over 1,000 patients.
Qazi said it’s an honor to work at the clinic.
“Doc in a Bus is a great thing for the community,” Qazi said. “It’s great for the patients here. We try to treat as many patients as we can. It’s great to be involved in something like this.”
Vaughan Regional Medical Center CEO David McCormack said Doc in a Bus prevents people from suffering a serious illness.
“A lot of people wait until they’re really sick and then they go to the emergency room,” McCormack said. “It takes a lot resources. It gives patients an opportunity to see a doctor before they get sick.”
“This clinic is invaluable and good for us,” Maycock said. “We have a place where patients without insurance can go and get their outpatient needs.”
