VISTA: Clinic expands free transportation program

By: MARGA KELLOGG - For the North County Times
Service picks up patients and takes them home | Monday, March 24, 2008 1:09 PM PDT ∞

VISTA ---- Frances Dennis has walked to her appointments at the Vista Community Clinic for 19 years.

But at age 90 and with a broken hip, she is taking advantage of an expanded transportation program offered by the clinic that picks patients up for appointments free of charge and delivers them back to their doorstep afterward.

The expanded program was started this year by the nonprofit clinic, which has offices in Vista and Oceanside, after clinic employees noticed a growing need for transportation. The two part-time drivers that went to pick patients up only when they had the time weren't fitting the bill any more, said clinic transportation manager Joaquin Quiroz.

Mothers often could not bring their children to appointments because a spouse had taken the car to work or their cars had broken down, he said.

Dennis is among 1,000 people who have used the expanded transportation services in the first three months of this year. Last year, the clinic was able to serve only 3,000 during the whole year.

Seventy percent of the clinic's patients are uninsured, and many families served by the clinic live at or below the federal poverty level and have only one car, if any, according to clinic officials.

The service extends throughout Oceanside and Vista, and to some areas in San Marcos and Bonsall.

"We're doing twice as much as we were doing last year by having one person do it on a daily basis, as opposed to two people do it as often as they could," Quiroz said.

The clinic hired driver Oscar Lopez to operate a passenger van donated by North County Ford for the expanded transportation program. The vehicle is one of six in the clinic's fleet, Quiroz said.

On Friday, Ana Morales, who lives in Vista , used the van to get her baby's shots.

"I got there on time, and he got his shots," said Morales. "It's a really great service because it never comes late."

The van is usually on time, said Jennifer Jones, communications specialist for the clinic. On Friday, a pickup near the coast threw the schedule off a little, however.

"Today was an interesting situation," said Jones, explaining that a patient needed transportation between the clinic at 1000 Vale Terrace Drive and their home near Interstate 5 and Highway 76.

There were several patients to be dropped off and picked up during that route and combining the distance, the number of drop-offs and pickups, and other factors such as construction on East Vista Way, it took longer than a half hour, she said.

"This is not usual, but we were able to adjust as needed," said Jones.

Quiroz said the clinic is meeting demand most of the time.

"Most appointments come in the morning, and we sometimes have to turn people down," he said. "We schedule transportation like we schedule patient's appointments, so if three people have the need to come at the same time, we assign them on a first-come, first-serve basis."

He said that if the demand skyrockets, the clinic will consider expanding the transportation program more. But, Quiroz said, the program is building its customer base now, and the needs will be evaluated in about six months.

"Once we have our transportation calendar full every day for two to three months in a row, then we'll talk about expanding," he said.

Quiroz said the van is logging about 2,000 miles a month, and the cost of gas and insurance adds up. The nonprofit, which relies on donations, doesn't have a specific budget for the transportation program, he said.

"Patients love it," he said of the service. "They just love to be able to call us, and we'll be there in time for their appointment."

The service is available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., with an hour break for lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m..

For more information on the service or to make an appointment, call (760) 631-5000 and speak to one of the operators.

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