Special Effort HelpsSome Lucky PatientsGet the Specialty CareThey Need

EncountersFall 2008The semi-annual newsletter of

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Suppose you have a hernia.You discovered it a couple months agowhile lifting your youngest daughter from her highchair, a cramp-like pain filling your abdomen.

It causes you only occasional discomfortand inconvenience at home, but you’rehaving a hard time at your construction job,and your boss has noticed. He’s growingmore impatient by the day.

Now suppose you’re also uninsured.

You could be in serious trouble. Unless you can pay for treatment at a privatehospital—and most likely you can’t—you’llhave to wait more than a year for surgerythrough one of the County hospitals. That’s how great the need is. And there’salmost nowhere else you can go.

But it doesn’t have to be a hernia. It couldbe a back injury, a heart condition, adigestive disorder, complications fromdiabetes, lots of things. If you aren’t able to see a doctor who specializes in your condition, you might not be able to work, or sleep, or see, or hear. It couldeven kill you.

The main County hospital on the Westsideof Los Angeles, Harbor-UCLA in Torrance,is so swamped with emergency cases thatstaff there have almost no time to tend toanything else. Wait times for most types ofspecialty care are now measured in months,bordering on years. Gastroenterology—sixmonths. Cardiology, neurology, andophthalmology—nine to twelve months.Orthopedics—sixteen months.

Venice Family Clinic has provided somelevel of specialty care since it started, atleast by referrals, and has tried to keep pacewith the steadily rising need by alwaysexpanding its corps of volunteers and itsinstitutional partnerships. But things aredifferent now.

“There’s always been a lack of specialty carefor the uninsured, but it’s becoming a lotharder to get,” says Karen Lamp, MD,Venice Family Clinic’s Medical Director. “As we see more people and the populationbecomes sicker, we can’t just do primarycare, even though that’s our model. Ourmission takes us to these new places.”

Despite the challenges of accessingspecialty care, Venice Family Clinic providesmore of it than ever—17 kinds at the Clinic;another 11 through outside referrals.

One volunteer specialist, Gregory Bierer, MD,is, somewhat surprisingly, a staff physicianat another of the County hospitals, OliveView-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar. Hedeals with the overwhelming patient loadevery day, yet he still finds time, every week,to volunteer at Venice Family Clinic.

At one of his Wednesday eveningpulmonology clinics, Dr. Bierer examinesMaria Marin, a cheerful 62-year-old womanwho is clearly thrilled to see him.

“Take a deep breath,” he tells Maria. Shewheezes and strains a bit but insists she’sfeeling better. He encourages her to payspecial attention to her medications.“You’ve got to take your aspirin.”

Earlier, Maria had been diagnosed withasthma, but Dr. Bierer suspected somethingelse was going on. He ordered a stress testof her heart, which Maria got within abouta month and a half, at County-USCHospital downtown.

Without the Clinic’s referral, Bierer says, it would have taken at least six months—a substantial difference, considering the testshowed Maria had blockages in her coronaryarteries. She might have coronary arterydisease and end up needing a stent orcoronary bypass surgery. These months are precious.

But there’s another outcome that’s just as important as shortened wait times, Bierer says.

“We’re talking about the number one killerof Americans,” he explains. “And a lot of times it’s unrecognized—particularly in a woman who has asthma and otherreasons to have chest tightness.”

“One of the key benefits here is that weknow her,” he says. “We know that whenshe has asthma, she reacts a certain way,she responds to the medications. But if Iwere seeing her for the first time, and shesaid, ‘You know what, I have this chesttightness, and it doesn’t really go away,’ I might approach it differently. She doesn’thave a tremendous number of cardiac riskfactors—not any more than most of thepatients we see, and certainly not all ofthem have coronary artery disease. So if I were seeing her for the first time, I wouldprobably say, ‘You know what, let’s treatyour asthma the best we can, and we’ll seeyou back in a couple months.’ But we know better…because we know her.”

Special Effort Helps Some Lucky Patients Get the Specialty Care They Need

Volunteer rheumatologist Michael Weisman, MD,examines Luis Rangel at the monthly rheumatology clinic.Dr. Weisman is the Director of the Division of Rheumatologyat Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and has been bringingrheumatology fellows to Venice Family Clinic for morethan six years. Photo: Tim Smith

David Shih, MD, a gastroenterology fellow atUCLA, examines Georgina Ojeda at the monthlygastroenterology clinic. Georgina has had pain inher abdomen for a year, often triggered by stress.“What kind of stress do you have?” Dr. Shih asks.“You look like a happy girl.” Photo: Tim Smith

Cover: Eric Schmitter, MD, a retired orthopedicsurgeon, performs a carpal tunnel release onDeborah Champney. Dr. Schmitter operates onClinic patients free of charge at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital,which donates its surgical suite for ten outpatientsurgeries per month. Photo: Margaret Molloy

Dr. Shih then consults with the attending physician,Ronald Siegel, MD, of UCLA. The UCLA Divisionof Digestive Diseases, headed by Gary Gitnick, MD,is the largest of its kind in the world. Its generouscontribution of gastroenterologists enables Clinicpatients to access care much more quickly than thesix months minimum it would take at one of theCounty hospitals. Photo: Tim Smith

Gregory Bierer, MD, a volunteer pulmonologist from LA County’s Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar, examinesMaria Marin. Because he had been seeing Maria regularly, Dr. Bierer was able to see beyond her asthma and diagnoseblockages in her coronary arteries. “[Having a medical home] gives patients continuity of care,” he says. “We knowbetter…because we know her.” Photo: Tim Smith

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“This gives patients continuity of care,” he says. “Once we see that their cases arenot fitting the right picture, we have theability to push the issue, to look for otherthings that could cause these problems.”

More than a hundred other specialistsvolunteer for Venice Family Clinic. Somevolunteer every week, others once a month. Some do it at the Clinic, some intheir own offices—providing everythingfrom cardiology to gastroenterology toobstetrics and gynecology.

Despite this variety, Dr. Lamp is quick to point out that the Clinic can meet only a tiny fraction of the need. But that doesn’tkeep everyone from trying.

“It’s really a matter of finding physicianswho have a warm spot in their heart and a little extra time,” she says, acknowledgingthat physicians are often overworked.

Vic Wylie, MD, a retired family practicephysician who volunteers at the Clinic,recently sent hand-written letters to selectspecialists at local hospitals. He got oneresponse, from an ophthalmologist.

“In some areas, like ophthalmology,neurology, rheumatology and urology, if patients don’t get treated by ourvolunteers, they might not get treated at all,” Dr. Lamp says. “Just one newvolunteer can make a huge difference.”

Consider again the hernia case. Recently,Venice Family Clinic was contacted byRobert Shorr, MD, from Surgeons of theEarth, who will provide hernia surgeries for at least ten of the Clinic’s patients in December. The patient list was filledimmediately.

Some procedures take only a few minutesto perform. Eric Schmitter, MD, a retiredorthopedic surgeon, operates on Clinicpatients free of charge at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and OrthopaedicHospital, which donates its surgical suitefor ten outpatient surgeries per month.

One of his patients, Deborah Champney,47, had been suffering with carpal tunnelsyndrome. She used to be an office workerbut now works as a housekeeper, in partbecause her carpal tunnel prevented herfrom working on a computer.

“It’s very painful. I wake up in the middleof the night because my hands are like tworocks,” Deborah says, as she demonstrateshow she stretches her clinched fists backand forth. “I’ve been taking ibuprofen,naproxen, muscle relaxers…a lot of them.”

As she lies on the operating table, Dr.Schmitter narrates.

“This is so simple, it will only take a fewminutes,” he says.

Deborah’s left arm—awash in betadine—glows red and yellow under the brightsurgical lamp. She doesn’t feel a thing, even though she’s been feeling pain for the last two years.

“And that’s it,” Dr. Schmitter says, as hebegins stitching the incision. With that, the carpal tunnel pain in Deborah’s leftwrist and hand is gone. She will come backin three months for the same surgery on her right side.

Dr. Schmitter, like Dr. Shorr and Dr. Bierer,volunteers because he understands justhow much people’s lives can be hamperedor permanently altered by lack of access to care. They also know that delays intreatment can affect the stability of thehealth care system—by pushing patients to make emergency room visits, which they rarely can pay for. Patients, physicians,and hospitals alike are becoming moredesperate.

But some Venice Family Clinic patients get a reprieve from this harsh reality. At the end of her appointment, Maria, who knows how lucky she is, smiles at Dr. Bierer.

“She must be nervous tonight,” he says,alluding to the camera. “Usually she tries to kiss me.”

A happy Venice Family Clinic patient, Maria Hernandez,salutes Dr. Schmitter after surgery to correct her triggerfinger. Just a few minutes into the surgery, Dr. Schmitterhad Maria flex her finger. Maria, who spoke no otherEnglish during her visit, cried out in disbelief, “What?! Oh my gosh!” Photo: Margaret Molloy

AllergyJonathan Corren, MDMary Ellen Friedman, MDRobert Meth, MD

CardiologyJoseph Ahdoot, MDNoel Baire, MDNoel G. Boyle, MDLennis Burke, MDCalifornia Heart CenterFoundationCOPE Health SolutionsBrian Fagan, MDGeorge Grifka, MDIbrahim Helmy, MDJoel Isackson, MDAllison Kean, MDRobert Loitz, MDElizabeth de Oliveira, MD Pacific Heart InstituteAlice Perlowski, MD Paul Poommipanit, MD Saint John’s Health Center Irving Tessler, MDUCLA Department ofCardiology; Juan Alvergue, MD,and David Chang, MDMarmar Vaseghi, MDWilliam Vincent, MD

DermatologyJonathan Cotliar, MDNoah Craft, MDWade Foster, MDMichael Freed, MDJeremy Kampp, MDRonald L. Moy, MDMaria Teresa Ochoa, MDMaggie Olsen, MDRhonda Rand, MDMyron Samovitz, MDHoward Sofen, MDTeresa Soriano, MDEdward L. Tobinick, MDUCLA Department ofDermatology

Ear, Nose and ThroatChester F. Griffiths, MD, FACS F. Monte Purcelli, MDSouthern California Head and Neck Medical Group

Electromyography and Nerve Conduction VelocityDavid Campion, MD

EmergencySanta Monica-UCLA MedicalCenter and Orthopaedic HospitalPhilip Schwarzman, MD

EndocrinologyMayer B. Davidson, MDBeverly Karpman, MDJanet Winikoff, MD

GastroenterologyChristopher Chang, MDDaniel Cole, MDMarvin Derezin, MDFrancisco Durazo, MDRobert Elson, MDJerold B. Federman, MDTerri Getzug, MDAidran Lunn, MDSammy Saab, MDRonald Siegel, MDSouthern California MedicalGastroenterology Group Inc.Brennan Spiegel, MDKirsten Tillisch, MDWilfred Weinstein, MDMarc Wishingrad, MDUCLA Division of DigestiveDiseases; Eric Esrailian, MD, and Gary Gitnick, MD

GeneticsDavid Rimoin, MD

Infectious DiseaseEllie Goldstein, MD

NephrologyRonald Nudelman, MD

NeurologyKevin Brennan, MDChristine Brower, MDNancy L. Sicotte, MDEdmond Teng, MD

Obstetrics/GynecologyGayane Ambartsumyan, MDWilliam A. Freije, MDWilliam Frumovitz, MDPrudence Hall, MDAndy Huang, MDMichael Johnson, MDBill Parker, MDJeannine Rahimian, MDLaurie Reynard, MDMichael Sela, MDLeah Tonkin, MDUCLA Department of Obstetricsand Gynecology

OphthalmologyAssil Sinskey Eye InstituteEduardo Besser, MDBenton W. Boone, MDBarbara Breger, MDJoseph Caprioli, MDCandice Chen, MDJay Gross, MDJules Stein Eye InstituteDaniel Krivoy, MDRetina Vitreous Associates Ken Wright, MD

OrthopedicsThomas Grogan, MDSatish Kadaba, MDIsaac Schmidt, MDEric Schmitter, MDMark Wellisch, MD

Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryRuth Carr, MDFredric Corbin, MDHerbert Goldberg, MDCadvan Griffiths, MDRobert W. Hutcherson, MDMichael McGuire, MDDennis Thompson, MD

PsychiatryJoshua Golden, MDJacqueline Heller, MDDavid Marcus, MDStephen Marmer, MDRegina Pally, MDWilliam Resnick, MDShirah Vollmer, MD

PulmonologyGregory Bierer, MDGary Gibbon, MDAlvin Markovitz, MDScott Oh, MDAmi Oren, MD

RadiologyAmerican Wellness & Imaging Beverly Tower Imaging Landmark Imaging MedicalGroup IncParkview ImagingSaint John’s Health CenterSanta Monica Bay PhysiciansSanta Monica-UCLA MedicalCenter and Orthopaedic HospitalWestern ImagingWoman’s Breast CenterUCLA Medical Center

RheumatologyCedars-Sinai Medical CenterRheumatology FellowsBasil Clyman, MDMichael Weisman, MD

Sports MedicineUCLA Sports MedicineFellowship

SurgeryTracey Childs, MDMarjorie Fine, MDEric Fonkalsrud, MDJeremy Korman, MD

Venice Family Clinic Thanks All of Its Volunteer Specialists for Their Generous SupportIf you are a specialist and would like to volunteer for Venice Family Clinic—or know a specialist who might like to volunteer—please contact Ingrid Trejo, Volunteer ServicesManager, at 310.664.7532 or itrejo@mednet.ucla.edu. The Clinic has particular need forear/nose/throat specialists, neurologists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, rheumatologists,and urologists.

Every volunteer specialist is important to us. If your name is not listed withinthe appropriate category or is listedimproperly, please accept our apologiesand notify us at 310.664.7532 so thecorrection can be made.

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If you have already named Venice Family Clinic asa beneficiary in your estate plan, please contact usat 310.664.7932 so that we may appropriatelyrecognize your generosity.

We’re Here to Make It EasyTo make a donation or for more information, please contact Venice Family Clinic’s Development office at 310.392.9255 or visit www.venicefamilyclinic.org.

How You Can Help Venice Family Clinic This Holiday SeasonThe end of the year is a great time to make a gift to Venice Family Clinic.Celebrate the holidays with one of these special support opportunities.

Penguin Walk, by Daniel Gottlieb. Image used with permission from G2 Gallery

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Looking for an Easy Way to Support Venice Family Clinic?Include It in Your Will

It’s easy to arrange. It can be changed at any time. And it can help ensure thesustainability of Venice Family Clinic’sessential services for tens of thousandsof low-income and uninsured individuals.

Dozens of donors have taken the simplestep of including Venice Family Clinic intheir wills, and you can, too. A provisionor amendment prepared by your attorneyat the time you make or update your willor trust is all that is necessary.

Venice Family Clinic’s Legacy Societyrecognizes those—both living anddeceased—who have remembered the Clinic in their wills or other estateplans. For more information about how to include the Clinic in your will or establish a life-income gift, pleasecontact Bill Jones, Interim ChiefDevelopment Officer, at 310.664.7932 or bljones@mednet.ucla.edu.

Send a Child to the Children’s Holiday MovieNo one would expect children to go without food or housing or education, right? Well let’s not let them go without health care either. Help Venice Family Clinic provide a medical home to uninsured kids by making a donation through the Children’s HolidayMovie Campaign. Your gift will help send a child to a special screening of MadagascarEscape 2 Africa, and, more importantly, help pay for his or her health care throughout the coming year.

Special thanks to the Children’s Holiday Movie Co-Chairs: Rick Bradley and Leslie Thurman

Spread Holiday Cheer with Venice Family ClinicArtist CardsIf you send holiday cards to friends, colleagues, or customers, consider using Venice FamilyClinic Artist Cards—limited-edition reproductions donated by Venice Art Walk & Auctionsartists and renowned collections. Only Venice Family Clinic has them! Each carries amessage explaining that all proceeds from the program benefit Venice Family Clinic and itsmission of providing free, quality health care to people in need. If you’ve been looking for away to spread the word about your favorite charity, look no further.

Venice Family Clinic’s Artist Cards Program is underwritten by a generous grant from the Frederick R. Weisman Philanthropic Foundation.

Join Silver CircleSilver Circle is Venice Family Clinic’s premier annual giving group. Its members donate morethan one million dollars annually. Join Silver Circle with a donation of $2,000 or moreand then celebrate the accomplishments of this remarkable group at the Thank You Galaon February 23, 2009, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Hugh Laurie and David Shorefrom the hit Fox television show House will receive the 2009 Humanitarian Award, andthe David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Health System will be honoredwith the 2009 Community Service Award.

Special thanks to the Silver Circle Committee: Andrea Bacon, Vicki Baker, Kathy Barrett, Dorothy Breininger,Chris Griffiths, Ashley Johnson, Harley Liker, MD (Co-Chair), Julie Liker (Co-Chair), Deb Love, Frank Matricardi, and Cynthia Garvey Truhan

Make a Year-End GiftSupport a specific clinical program or make an unrestricted gift that the Clinic can use in the area of greatest need.

Photo: Margaret Molloy

Photo: Margaret Molloy

Legacy Society MembersRobert C. AronoffKatherine BardIrma & Louis ColenMayer B. Davidson, MD, &

Roseann Herman, Esq.Sylvia & Mose Firestone, PhDPatricia & William FlumenbaumElizabeth & Daniel ForerElaine HoffmanJoanne Jubelier, PhDMarilyn H. KarstenAmita & Viren Mehta Charlotte Neumann, MD, &

Alfred Neumann, MDJanet PapkinMaida RichardsStanley RichardsFern & Robert SeizerJeffrey SinaikoLeonard StoneIna TillmanBeatrice ZeigerAnonymous

Exciting Plansin the Makingfor the 30th Anniversary Venice Art Walk & Auctions,May 16 & 17, 2009Volunteer Co-Chairs Leslie Adler and Mary Jensen are already hard at workon the 30th anniversary Venice Art Walk & Auctions, May 16 & 17, 2009.“The Venice Art Walk & Auctions has raised millions of dollars for VeniceFamily Clinic over the past three decades,” Adler says, “and that makes itwell worth the many months of effort.” Expect to see dozens of artyspaces you’ve never seen before, plus an all-new Art Happening, thealways popular Art & Architecture Tours, and plenty of opportunities to hand-pick original works from the 400-piece Silent Art Auction. For more information on corporate sponsorship and other involvementopportunities, contact Venice Family Clinic’s development department at 310.392.9255 or vfcinfo@mednet.ucla.edu.

Special thanks to the 2009 Venice Art Walk & Auctions Steering Committee: Leslie Adler (Co-Chair), Alison Dockray (Co-Chair), Mary Jensen (Co-Chair), Ellen Belot, Karen Chu, Amy Coane, Rhonda DeVictor, Lisa Gelber, Dena Kleinrock,Roya Mina, Michael MacLachlan, Pam Morgenstern, Jodie Rea, Katrina Revenaugh,Alan Shaffer, Valerie Shavers, Ricki Sherlin, Sandy Singer, Matt Tager, Jessamine Tepper, Jamie Theis, and Irene Weibel

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A lucky winner takes home several of the more than 400 pieces that were up for bid at the 2008 Silent Art Auction. Photo: Margaret Molloy

Major GiftsApril 23, 2008, to November 14, 2008

Every donor is important to us. If your name is notlisted within the appropriate category or is listedimproperly, please accept our apologies and notify usat 310.664.7932 so the correction can be made.

Did you know?A gift of $50 can provide peak flow meters for three children with asthma

A gift of $500 can provide glucose monitoring supplies for three people with diabetes for a year

A gift of $2,000 can provide health care for three uninsured people for a full year

Whole Foods 5% Day RaisesNearly $7,000 forVenice Family ClinicOn September 10, the new Whole FoodsMarket at the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Rose Avenue in Venice held its inaugural5% Day, and selected Venice Family Clinic as the beneficiary. Store managers laterpresented a check to Clinic staff for 5%of the day’s net proceeds, totaling $6,920.40.Many thanks to Whole Foods Market—especially Mike Bowen, Lisa Catanio, Richard Duran, Andre Sugars and LenaPereira—and everyone who shopped that day!

Left to right: Clinic Development staff members Jenny O’Brian, Nicki Pincus, Liza Alon, Robin Nussbaum, Courtney Gero,and Alison Dockray, Whole Foods team member Mike Bowen, Clinic CEO Liz Forer, and Whole Foods team members Lisa Catanio and Lena Pereira. Photo: Tim Smith

Photo: Tim Smith

$100,000 +The Ahmanson FoundationBroad Reach FoundationLou ColenThe Eisner FoundationThe Fineshriber Family FoundationKaiser Permanente of Southern CaliforniaLincy FoundationWilbur May Foundation

Anita May Rosenstein & Arnold RosensteinSisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System

Mission FundSaint John’s Health Center

Tides FoundationWeingart Foundation

$50,000 to $99,999The Dharma Grace Foundation

Chuck LorreInternational Creative Management (ICM)The Larry King Cardiac Foundation

Shawn and Larry KingThe Barry and Wendy Meyer FoundationStanley Richards

$25,000 to $49,999Blue Shield of California FoundationCalifornia HealthCare FoundationThe Karl Kirchgessner FoundationState of California Attorney GeneralUnited Way of Greater Los AngelesWestside Infant Family NetworkWitherbee FoundationAnonymous

$10,000 to $24,999Gerrie Smith & Dr. Neal BaerAlbert & Elaine Borchard FoundationThe Capital Group Companies Charitable FoundationAlison CardosoCedars-Sinai Medical CenterClaneil Foundation, Inc.Roy E. Crummer FoundationCarrie Estelle Doheny FoundationThe Richard F. & Eleanor W. Dwyer FundRobert L. FeldmanFriends of the Culver City Youth Health CenterJamie Diamond & James Goodman David Hockney Tatiana & Todd James Susan G. Komen for the Cure L.A. Care Health Plan Carlos LazaroMonica LozanoMerle & Gerald MeaserNestle USA FoundationKenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris FoundationPeter Norton Family FoundationIdy ParkerPfaffinger FoundationSawchuk Family FoundationCharlie SheenSunair Children’s FoundationTwentieth Century FoxJ.B. and Emily Van Nuys CharitiesWarner Bros. Entertainment IncWarner Bros. Television ProductionBillie Milam WeismanMarcia S. Weisman FoundationFrederick R. Weisman Philanthropic & Art FoundationWitherbee FoundationRuth Ziegler

Permanent EndowmentsIrma and Lou Colen Physician EndowmentMose and Sylvia Firestone Social Work EndowmentKarsten Family Domestic Violence EndowmentSadie and Norman Lee Teen Clinic Physician

EndowmentMilken Family Physician EndowmentJack H. Skirball Medical Director EndowmentGail and Irv Weintraub EndowmentFrederick R. Weisman Psychological Services Endowment

If you take only one message from this issue of Encounters, pleaselet it be, “I can help recruit a volunteer specialist.”

Maybe you receive care from a medical specialist, or maybe you’refriends with one, or maybe you’re related to one. Either way, I hopethe next time you see this person you’ll ask him or her to considervolunteering for Venice Family Clinic. They can do it at one of the Clinic’s sites or in their own offices, as little as once a month.

I make this request because, in many cases, Venice Family Clinic’spatients have no other timely access to specialty care. Countyhospitals are overwhelmed, and few low-income uninsured peoplehave the financial means to pay for their care.

Referring any kind of volunteer is easy. Just point them to theClinic’s web site, www.venicefamilyclinic.org—which features a list of volunteer opportunities, an online application, and contactinformation—or have them contact Ingrid Trejo, Volunteer ServicesManager, at 310.664.7532 or itrejo@mednet.ucla.edu.

When we think of what we love about Venice Family Clinic—the number of patients it serves, the comprehensiveness of servicesit provides, the quality of care it delivers—it is important toremember how much of that we owe to volunteers. You see it inthis newsletter’s feature story, in the profiles of new Board andAdvisory Board members below, in the Clinic’s fundraising events,everywhere. There isn’t a single patient or staff member at theClinic who isn’t affected by their generosity.

Our deepest thanks to all of them.

Sincerely,

Jimmy H. Hara, MD

Chair, Board of Directors

Jimmy H. Hara, MD, FAAFP, is Lead Physician for Community Benefit for Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Residency Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles. He is also a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine for the David Geffen School of Medicineat UCLA. In addition, Dr. Hara is Immediate Past President of the Los AngelesChapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility and Chair of the HealthcareWorkforce Policy (Song-Brown) Commission for the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. He has been a volunteer physician at Venice Family Clinic for more than thirty years.

Meet the Clinic’s New Board MembersBoard of Directors

Neal Axelrod Neal Axelrod is Assistant Vice Chancellor/CFO of UCLA External Affairs. He also servesas an ex-officio member of the UCLA Foundation’s Board of Governors and is VicePresident-Finance/Treasurer of the Foundation and its subsidiaries. Prior to joining VeniceFamily Clinic’s Board of Directors, he had been a member of the Clinic’s Advisory Boardsince 2005.

“It is an honor to be a part of such a prestigious organization that creates so muchbenefit for so many people. I hope that I will be able to bring my experience, knowledgeand passion to add something of value to the amazing success of Venice Family Clinic in the years ahead.”

Rick Bradley Rick Bradley left the William Morris Agency in 2001 as a Senior Vice President to starthis own talent and consulting company called Celebrity Consultants, Inc. In addition to representing talent in a variety of areas, including commercials, endorsements,infomercials, radio, licensing, and merchandising, Rick’s firm represents and brokers dealson behalf of leading companies.

“I have been involved in various ways for years with the Clinic and I have always felt thatthere needed to be a bigger push to bring entertainment-related companies into theClinic family. My hope is that I will be able to help educate this important LA communityto the great service the Clinic has provided to so many needy families over the years.”

Aime EspinosaAime Espinosa is a patient of Venice Family Clinic. She has three sons—ages 11 years, 7 years, and 20 months—and for the last two years has been enrolled in the Clinic’sChildren First program, which is a home-based child development program for infantsand their families.

“I wanted to be on the Board because when I participate, I motivate other parents to advocate, to improve themselves and be better each day. The Clinic has the mostbeautiful mission of helping those who are in need.”

Hutch Parker Hutch Parker is Chairman of New Regency Entertainment, an independent film, televisionand media company in association with Twentieth Century Fox. He recently joined thecompany from Twentieth Century Fox, where he was Vice Chairman of the film studiowhere he supervised film operations, including the animation studio. In 2007, Hutch was honored with Venice Family Clinic’s Silver Circle Humanitarian Award and helped theevent set both fundraising and attendance records.

“My first tour of the clinic, a couple years ago, was a revelation—seeing a medicalinstitution dedicated solely to meeting the needs of its patients moved and inspired me.My family and I have known the fear, uncertainty, helplessness, and confusion thataccompany serious medical conditions, and we want to make sure those who lack our means still have access to the highest quality care and attention.”

Bruce Tower Bruce Tower is Vice President of Commercial Banking at Wells Fargo. He is a SeniorRelationship Manager based in the company’s Beverly Hills office. His focus is on thefinancial needs of middle-market businesses with annual revenues of more than $15million. Bruce is a 24-year veteran of the financial services industry, previously havingworked for Chinatrust Bank USA, Cathay Bank, General Bank and The Bank of California.

“As a resident of Venice (on and off since 1990 and on again since 2004) I always had aspecial place in my heart for Venice Family Clinic and its mission. I believe in supportingthe community, and what better way than by being a Venice Family Clinic Board member?”

One Thing toRememberfrom theBoard Chair

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Take a Tour of Venice Family ClinicIf you’ve never toured Venice Family Clinic, you’re missing out on a storylike no other. Come see how exactly the Clinic organizes 1,500 volunteers,250 staff members and dozens of institutional partners to provide free,quality health care—from chronic disease management to mental healthservices to dental care—to more than 23,500 low-income and uninsuredpatients annually. Contact Tim Smith, Director of Communications, at 310.664.7910 or tsmith@mednet.ucla.edu.

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Remy Levy Remy Levy is a former member of Venice Family Clinic’s Board of Directors and a current member of theBoard’s Finance Committee. He moved to the Advisory Board when he and his family relocated to Wyoming.

“I came to learn about Venice Family Clinic through our good friend and neighbor Susan Fleischman. When given the opportunity to join the Finance Committee and Board, I jumped. I found a family of similarlyconcerned folk collectively applying their expertise to best position the Clinic to do the maximum good. Living in Wyoming now I miss the opportunity to be more intimately involved. Venice Family Clinic is an incredibly well-run organization delivering amazing care in a much needed space. It deserves all of our support.”

Michael McClain Michael McClain has been in the executive search profession for more than 15 years, the last 11 of which with Battalia Winston International. He has done extensive recruiting and consulting in a variety of areasincluding consumer goods, entertainment, financial services, industrial/energy and health care. He also has a long history of charity work, having served on boards and committees for the Center for Healthy Aging and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

“I’ve been a diabetic for 41 years and can’t imagine not having access to health care. Without it, I’d be dead.So one day, when I met Liz Forer”—Venice Family Clinic’s CEO—“and learned how much the Clinic wasaccomplishing, I felt compelled to get involved and help it reach its goals, however I could.”

Joseph Wright Joseph Wright is an associate in Proskauer Rose LLP’s Litigation Department in Los Angeles, where his practiceareas include general commercial litigation and privacy. Previously, he worked on the habeas corpus appeal of a death sentence resulting from a prominent multiple-homicide and as a research assistant for the Michigan Law School faculty.

“I joined the Advisory Board because I believe in the mission of Venice Family Clinic, and I want to contribute in any way I can to this incredible organization. I hope to use my organizational skills, legal knowledge, and enthusiasm to further the Clinic’s efforts to serve its population.”

Advisory Board

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OfficersJimmy H. Hara, MD, ChairFrank Matricardi, Dr PH,Immediate Past ChairNeal Baer, MD, SecretaryJeffrey E. Sinaiko, Treasurer

MembersSusan AdelmanCarol L. Archie, MDNeal AxelrodRick BradleyLowell C. Brown, Esq.Mayer B. Davidson, MDAime EspinosaMose J. Firestone, PhD, LCSWSusan Fleischman, MDWilliam FlumenbaumChester F. Griffiths, MD, FACSAshley JohnsonJoanne Jubelier, PhDBrian D. Kan, MD Deborah LaubLou LazatinBarbara A. Levey, MD, FACPHarley Liker, MD, MBATracey LoebGail Margolis, Esq.Viren MehtaWendy Smith Meyer, PhD, LCSWWilliam D. ParenteHutch ParkerNeil H. Parker, MDDavid RubensonPaul SabenFern SeizerAlan SierotyVictoria Simms, PhDBaldeep Singh, MDMarsha Temple, Esq.Bruce TowerCynthia Garvey TruhanRussel Tyner, AIAMichael S. Wilkes, MD, PhDLeisa WuC. Victor Wylie, MD

Board EmeritusRuth BloomDaniel Hillman, MDKarl A. Keener, Esq.Ruth Moss

PHILANTHROPY BOARDKathleen AikenheadLou ColenMarjorie FasmanRuth FlinkmanHilary & Robert Nelson JacobsGlorya KaufmanSusanne & Paul KesterShawn & Larry KingDeborah LaubSusan Adelman & Claudio LlanosChuck LorreLaurie MacDonaldDenise RichardsAnita May RosensteinCharlie SheenVictoria & Ronald SimmsHarriet & Richard SquireEva VollmerBillie Milam WeismanSylvia WeiszRuth ZieglerDiane & Michael ZieringMarilyn ZieringJanet & Jerry Zucker

ADVISORY BOARDMartin Anderson, MD, MPHGregory BakerBernard BriskinSaul L. Brown, MDDavid BuellHenry G. CisnerosLou ColenHon. Kathleen ConnellLucia DiazLaddie John DillRaymond EdenLeah Ellenberg, PhDSylvia Firestone, MSWSuzanne FuttermanLuis GalvezLila GarrettNaomi GoldmanAllan GordonKaren Gunn, PhDDaniel HelbergRoseann Herman, Esq.Marilyn HershElaine HoffmanDouglas I. JeffeDan Keatinge, MDDiedre Kelly-GordonRemy LevyJulie LikerConnie LinnAl Markovitz, MD, FACPMichael McClainKelly Chapman MeyerRobert MoverleyCharlotte Neumann, MD, MPHHarvey Newman, PharmDKenneth RambergHelen Reid, LCSWJoyce ReyAndrea Rich, PhDBrian K. RosensteinMonica Salinas, PhDMiguel SandovalJeffrey A. SeymourArthur StickgoldLeonard StoneKate SummersRebecca Tafoya, CSACJill E. ThomasMatthew A. ToledoCarl Weissburg, Esq.Joseph K. Wright, Esq.

CHIEF EXECUTIVEOFFICERElizabeth Benson Forer,MSW/MPH310.664.7901

MEDICAL DIRECTORKaren Lamp, MD310.664.7648

DIRECTOR OFCOMMUNICATIONSTim Smith310.664.7910

GRAPHIC DESIGNERCourtney Gero310.664.7918

Published semi-annually by Venice Family Clinic

OUR MISSIONTo provide free, quality health care to people in need.

Photos: Margaret Molloy

Encounters

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Venice Family Clinic Wins the 2008 LEAP Award from California HealthCare Foundation for Helping the Uninsured Get Relief from Chronic PainThe chronic pain program at Venice Family Clinic’s Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center uses acupuncture and chiropractic care, as well ascounseling, to help patients manage pain from back injuries, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other conditions. It has been so innovative and effective over the last three years that the California HealthCare Foundation recently selected Venice Family Clinic to receive its new LEAP Award.

The California HealthCare Foundation, an independent philanthropy committed to improving the way health care is delivered and financed in California, created its LEAP Award (Leveraging Excellence, Advancing Practice) to recognize model health care practices and innovative ways of meeting the health needs of the state’s underserved populations.

Chronic pain is especially hard on those with low incomes becausemany are manual laborers and are unable to work effectivelythrough pain. In addition, many live paycheck to paycheck and are devastated by any loss of income. Making matters worse, freeclinics rarely offer treatment for chronic pain.

“There’s a six-month wait list for many surgeries at County hospitals,and waiting that long can be agonizing, given that prescriptionpain-killing drugs are often unaffordable and over-the-counter pain relievers carry serious side effects from long-term use,” says Myles Spar, MD, Director of Integrative Medicine at VeniceFamily Clinic’s Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center.“Acupuncture and chiropractic, on the other hand, are relativelyinexpensive to administer and can provide relief in a matter of weeks. This is a model that clinics across the state and aroundthe country could adopt.”

The chronic pain program is just one of several activities at Venice Family Clinic’s Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center,which is home to the nation’s first health, wellness and integrativemedicine program offered at a free clinic. Venice Family Clinic’sSimms/Mann Health and Wellness Center also features stressmanagement, parenting and nutrition skills training, and familyweight management programs, as well as health and wellnesspromotion, including tools to help patients find no- or low-costfitness resources in the communities where they live.

Connect withVenice FamilyClinic OnlineLearn more about and helpsupport Venice Family Clinicelectronically. Just enter “Venice Family Clinic” into the search field on Facebook,Myspace and Youtube. View videos, connect with other supporters, and share your own thoughts about thelargest free clinic in the country.

Photo: Tim Smith

Get Clinic News by E-MailVenice Family Clinic recentlylaunched a new monthly e-newsletter, Short Story,with Clinic news and feature stories, involvementopportunities, and informationabout upcoming events. If you’ve never received e-mail from Venice Family Clinic, pleasevisit www.venicefamilyclinic.org and click the Mailing List Sign-Uplink in the top right corner, or just send an e-mail to vfcinfo@mednet.ucla.edu.

Our Condolences to the Families and Friends of OurDeparted Supporters

Ralph Bacerra, Mary Elizabeth Booth,Saul Brandman, Dr. William Brice,Bernie Brillstein, Ann Bancroft Brooks,Michael Crichton, Enid Gruber,Margie Kelley, Harvey Korman,Michael A. Kreinman, Elaine Livingston, Shirley Magidson,Sydney Pollack, Barbara Stone,Beatrice Zeiger, Judith Zitter

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