The Beginnings of St. Anna�s Medical Mission (S.A.M.M.)
In November 2005, several months after Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding in New Orleans, there were a number of churches offering St. Anna�s Episcopal Church assistance. We were offered a used RV that could be used for housing. During our discussions, the lack of medical care was broached in conversions between Fr. Bill Terry, Rector, Diana Meyers, a parishioner and registered nurse who had lost her job due to the storm, and other churches. It was decided the RV would best be used as a medical unit of some type. Support was offered from these and other churches and the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana was so encouraged with our plans they gave us a grant of $100,000 for the first year�s budget.
Our Mission and Purpose
The St. Anna�s Medical Mission (S.A.M.M.) identifies and provides the resources and skills of health and faith communities at St. Anna�s Episcopal Church as well as the surrounding New Orleans community to provide preventive wellness, medical services and spiritual guidance with dignity and respect.
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, a Mobile Medical Mission concept had value because of the culturally provincial mindset of New Orleanians and the poor free medical delivery systems that tended to de-humanize the poor. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans� systems of health care have sustained a devastating blow. Its publicly funded health care systems are in ruins.
How We Provide Care
Our schedule is based somewhat on the availability of our affiliates, Tulane School of Medicine and Daughter�s of Charity-New Orleans. Tulane had provided us with an attending physician in Internal Medicine/Geriatrics two half-days a week, but because of increased activity at their own clinics, they won�t be able to help us any longer. An attending physician (Psychiatrist), her residents and/or students were joining us one full day a week, but that has also stopped recently due to changes in their program. The Daughter�s of Charity Services of New Orleans provides us with an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse one evening and one half day a week. We continue to search for other partners to enable us to provide care more frequently. Registered Nurses are used in conjunction with these outings and to provide screenings and education when physicians are not available. A neighboring public high school also uses the RV as clinic space one day a week in conjunction with Tulane School of Medicine Pediatric/Adolescent Department
Our Staff and Volunteers
The Medical Mission is run by Diana Meyers, a registered nurse, who holds the title of Parish Nurse/Disaster Relief Coordinator for St. Anna�s Church.
David Rivet is our driver and also assists with on-site registration and Medical Mission and church program coordination.
Our Medical Director is Ben Springgate, M.D., a native New Orleanian, Tulane University School of Medicine graduate and a current UCLA Scholar who was instrumental in bringing medical care to New Orleans in the initial days and weeks post Katrina.
To find out more about volunteering, click here or the Volunteer tab above
Volunteer doctors, nurses and social workers are used to staff the unit, as well as non-medical personnel to assist with registration, when available. The availability of volunteer doctors allows us to plan more �clinics� in different locations, thereby serving a larger population.
We may also have a Deacon or Priest with the unit to provide spiritual support