After The Clinic was featured in People Magazine and on the Today Show last fall, we received phone calls from all over the country from people interested in starting clinics in their own communities. While we wanted to help, our core mission is caring for our own patients, and we had no staff time to spare. The St. Joe’s team offered to create a “how to” manual to send to people interested in starting their own clinics, and to help us incorporate this information into The Clinic’s existing website.

They interviewed the executive director and the founders, researched information on the legal issues surrounding starting a non-profit, and explored already existing resources. Their first visit to The Clinic gave them a whole new perspective. “This was nothing like I expected,” commented Joe. “I was imagining it as a warehouse or a DMV model where patients are treated like numbers rather than names. I had no idea the organization was so sophisticated or that you offered so many services.”

The final product delivered to The Clinic by the St. Joe’s team is a professional document containing a logical, step-by-step guide for creating a non-profit free health clinic. It will allow us to respond to regional and national inquiries without detracting from our ability to serve our current patients.

When asked why the team chose The Clinic, Mitch answered, “This was our first choice. We were attracted to the mission, we saw the obvious dedication of your staff and volunteers, and thought that it was incredible what you had done on a shoestring budget. It made us feel good to be able to support such a wonderful cause.”

“What stands out at The Clinic is both professionalism and a personal touch,” commented Tim. “The first question a patient gets asked is ‘How are you today?’ and not ‘Do you have your insurance card?’ The level of passion and joy exhibited by Clinic staff and volunteers obviously makes a huge difference in patient comfort and dignity.”

“I was especially impressed with how efficient and well organized The Clinic is,” remarked Scott. “Not only in how you treat your patients, but in how well you worked with our team. There was a ‘can-do’ acumen that differentiates The Clinic from other student-client experiences. Thank you for making our project such a good experience.”

The team had such a positive experience that they recommended The Clinic as a site for future team projects. St. Joseph’s University organizes 120 life client projects per year through their MBA, Executive MBA, and undergraduate management programs. Organizations who are interested in participating in student projects can contact C. Ken Weidner, II, PhD, Assistant Professor of Management at weidner@sju.edu.