<BillNo> <Sponsor>
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 548
By Vital
HJR0548
006816
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A RESOLUTION recognizing Volunteers in Medicine,
Chattanooga, Inc., on the occasion of its
twentieth anniversary.
WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this General Assembly should specially
recognize those exemplary organizations whose remarkable personnel work with purpose and
conviction to improve the quality of life in their respective communities; and
WHEREAS, one such estimable organization is Volunteers in Medicine, Chattanooga,
Inc., (VIM), which has provided dedicated and compassionate healthcare services to uninsured
individuals in Hamilton County and surrounding counties since its opening in May 2005; and
WHEREAS, VIM has remained open through numerous challenges over the past two
decades, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to serve the community's most
vulnerable residents with accessible and affordable primary care; and
WHEREAS, VIM's patients, who are hardworking and eager to improve their lives, have
benefited greatly from the clinic's services, becoming healthier and more able to support
themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS, through the generosity of the community, including foundations, churches,
and individuals, VIM's free primary care clinic has been able to provide medical care at no cost
to its patients, with services rendered by more than 100 dedicated volunteers, including
physicians, nurses, and other clinicians; and
WHEREAS, the clinic's staff, consisting of two full-time and six part-time employees,
works hand in hand in the crucial continuity-of-care approach in coordination with providers and
patients; and
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WHEREAS, the patient demographics served by VIM indicate that seventy percent are
in their mid-fifties to sixties, eighty percent having income at or below 133 percent of the federal
poverty level, and many not qualifying for Affordable Care Act policies or state Medicaid; and
WHEREAS, VIM's patients are often employed, typically in part-time work, and struggle
with chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity; and
WHEREAS, to date, VIM has provided over 82,000 patient visits, valued at $29 million at
clinic rates and nearly $114 million at emergency room rates, along with $20 million in
dispensed medications and over $6.5 million in donated lab services; and
WHEREAS, the commitment and selflessness of VIM's volunteers, who have contributed
more than 170,000 hours of service, have been instrumental in sustaining the clinic's success
and in providing quality care to those in need; and
WHEREAS, VIM's primary objective is to meet the medical needs of its patients without
creating financial burdens, treating both chronic and acute health issues, and fostering a sense
of dignity, worth, and hope in the lives of those served; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting that we specially honor this worthy organization during its
twentieth anniversary year; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we honor and commend Volunteers in Medicine, Chattanooga, Inc., on its
twentieth anniversary, thank the good people of this organization for their remarkable
contributions to the health and well-being of their community, and extend our best wishes for
every future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
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the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
without House or Senate designation.