At Heart to Heart International, our commitment to improving health access drives our partnership with communities nationwide. For the health clinic, Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, located in Indio, California, this means the opportunity to provide improved care to the clinic’s patients.
As a community safety net, Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine addresses chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis. They also treat acute conditions and offer preventive medicine, nutrition education, and emotional health support. The clinic is a member of Volunteers in Medicine, a national nonprofit alliance with more than 90 free clinics across the United States, whose mission is to provide healthcare services in a compassionate, caring way to neighbors in need.
Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine was selected as one of six grant recipients to receive point-of-care testing technology and training through a program with Heart to Heart International, NAFC, BD and Henry Schein Cares. The clinic’s lab installation was completed on October 11, 2023, and staff members were trained to run tests for Strep A, Influenza A/B, HIV, pregnancy, A1c and many more. This testing will enable the clinic to provide immediate results and treatment for its patients, all within a single patient office visit.
In the laboratory technology’s first three months of use, more than 200 patients have already received testing and resulting treatment plans.
The clinic will receive ongoing technical support and mentoring, along with testing reagents and supplies, for the next calendar year.
Installation and training of laboratory equipment
