HARROGATE, Tenn - Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) will open the doors to its sixth Remote Area Medical (RAM) Health Expedition at 6 a.m. on Saturday, June 2. The community outreach project provides free medical, dental, vision and veterinary services to the underserved, uninsured, underinsured and unemployed. The clinic will operate Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3.
LMU and RAM have provided $927,863 worth of services to 3,548 people since their first collaboration in 2006. Additionally, 1,291 animals have been spayed or neutered during RAM events at LMU.
The clinic will open at 6 a.m. each day. All services are rendered on a first-come, first-served basis, with no eligibility requirements for dental, vision and medical services. Veterinary services are the only services which require proof of income. Patients are encouraged to arrive early (by 3:30 am), be prepared for inclement weather and long waits and bring snacks and drinks to last throughout the day. Patients who are unable to stand for long periods of time are encouraged to bring a lawn chair with them. Intake for veterinary animals will begin at 5 a.m.
The patient entrance for medical, dental and optical services will be located at the lower level of Tex Turner Arena, which is behind the building. The lower level parking lot will be reserved for event staff and handicapped parking only. All other parking will be in the upper parking lot; shuttle buses will run from that lot to the patient entrance throughout the weekend.
A variety of free services will be rendered at LMU:
* Medical services will include specialist exams, osteopathic manipulations, diabetes screenings and education, cholesterol screenings, pulmonary function testing, Pap smears, breast exams and medication assistance. Lab work will be processed at no cost by Claiborne County Hospital.
* Dental cleanings, fillings and extractions will be performed onsite.
* Vision services: complete eye exams; free frames from a new and modern selection and eyeglasses will be made on site, as time and supplies permit
* Veterinary services are the only services which require proof of income. The veterinary clinic will provide free spays and neutering for cats and dogs to households which meet income requirements based on the number of individuals in a home. The veterinary services will be administered at the Schenck Center which is adjacent to the Tex Turner Arena in the upper parking lot. These services will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Animals should not have had anything to eat for 12 hours prior to surgery (water is fine), should be in good overall health, and should be at least four months old.
The LMU RAM expedition will be staffed by licensed volunteer medical, dental, vision and veterinary personnel from across the country. Several local organizations and companies have come together to assist LMU in making the event possible.
For more information about services available at the LMU RAM expedition call (423) 869-7162. For more information about RAM, go to www.RAMusa.org.
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