Neurorehabilitation for the Uninsured: Georgia Rehabilitation Services Volunteer Partnership Clinic

Abstract

Purpose: Individuals who experience brain injury and are uninsured often do not have access to health care services following their injury. The Georgia Rehabilitation Services Volunteer Partnership (GA RSVP) Clinic is a free outpatient rehabilitation program for uninsured individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and/or spinal cord injury (SCI) for all racial and ethnic backgrounds. While the clinic serves people with ABI and SCI, this clinical focus article will focus on people with ABI by describing the clinic, lessons learned from operations, an ABI patient case study, and future directions. Method: Our mission is to provide free outpatient rehabilitation care that maximizes independence, wellness, and community participation. The clinic has been in operation since September 2020, staffed by volunteers who provide services once a month in donated space at a rehabilitation hospital. We currently have 69 active volunteers, seven founding Board of Directors, and 17 founding Advisory Board members. We provide education to clients and their families and run peer and family support groups. For clients who cannot attend due to medical or transportation challenges, we have added telehealth services. We have 11 partner organizations as well as individual donor's financial support. The Chair of the clinic volunteers 50% of time managing clinic operations. Results: From September 2020 to December 2021, we provided care for 40 clients: 23 clinic admissions and 17 were provided information/referral services to access necessary health care services. Conclusions: A volunteer, free outpatient rehabilitation clinic is feasible and can contribute to improved outcomes for uninsured individuals with ABI. Further research to understand impact on patient outcomes is needed.