Remember Why You Became a Physician

The American Medical Association principles of medical ethics states: "A physician shall recognize a responsibility to participate in activities contributing to an improved community." However, finding viable outlets that serve the community effectively can be difficult. Another goal of Project Access Dallas is to create a proficient channel where physicians and other medical providers know their efforts to serve the community are worthwhile and together create a network of medical care for all people—including the working poor.

Physician volunteers are urgently needed for Project Access Dallas – see ad for list of most needed specialties.

2011 PAD Physician Volunteers of the Year

The Dallas County Medical Society and Project Access Dallas are pleased to announce selections for the 2011 PAD Physician Volunteers of the Year. Jennifer Kampas, MD, is the Primary Care Physician Volunteer of the Year and Donald Brotherman, MD, is the Specialty Care Physician Volunteer of the Year. View the article published in the February edition of the Dallas Medical Journal.

Project Access Dallas is a community-wide collaborative among physicians, hospitals and the healthcare industry that provides compassionate care and medical homes for the uninsured working poor of our community. Since the program began in 2001, DCMS has been privileged to serve as the lead partner, working to improve the lives of patients, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce disparities in the healthcare system.

Project Access Dallas physicians treated more than 3,000 Dallas County patients in 2010. Physicians in the program agree to see a certain number of patients each year. Primary care providers typically agree to care for five or more patients; specialty physicians generally see 10 or more patients.

Award recipient Donald Brotherman, MD, sums up PAD and its work by saying, “PAD patients aren’t looking for a handout; they are looking for a helping hand.” This is exactly why PAD exists—to care for those who are in need of care and cannot care for themselves.

Jennifer Kampas, MD, is a family practice physician who volunteers at Hope Clinic in Garland.

“A lot of social and economic barriers interfere with our patients’ health,” Dr. Kampas says, “but I’m encouraged to see them making healthy changes and gaining better control of their health.”

Dr. Kampas has been volunteering with the clinic since 2006 and saw approximately 500 patients in 2010.

“Hope Clinic would not be the same without her,” says Jenny Williams, Hope Clinic executive director.

Dr. Kampas, a University of Texas Medical School at Houston graduate, and her husband, Chris, a family practice physician at Medical City Dallas, have two children, Nathan and Emily.

Dr. Brotherman graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and is an ophthalmologist at Dallas Medical Center. He’s a life member of DCMS and has been a generous contributor to PAD since its inception in 2002. This past year, he cared for 30 PAD patients, which was above his initial pledge.

Physicians have a greater opportunity than many other professions to help and advise others, Dr. Brotherman says. He believes that physicians have God-given gifts that are meant to be shared.

“It isn’t hard to spend a little time helping those who otherwise would not be able to have? access to medical care,” he says.

Dr. Brotherman and his wife of 48 years, Cherry, have four children and 14 grandchildren.

Statistics

•More than 20% of DCMS' active membership is participating in Project Access Dallas

•In other Project Access Programs 80% of patients have reported improvements in their health

•And ER visits have dropped from 28% to 8%

•As many as 50% of patients become insured through an employer after using Project Access Dallas