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CONTRACT
WITH PATCH ADAMS
This free clinic in Patch Adams name will meet general and explicit
standards for spirit and practice approved by Patch Adams and
the board
of the Gesundheit! Institute.
MEMBER-OWNED:
Members may vote for the clinics board
of directors and serve on its committees. bylaws
The clinic may affiliate with co-operative health plans
meeting health
co-op standards and may
enroll Pennsylvanians as members into this plan.
For example, pioneer members (paying
$100/year)
may be eligible for $500 consolation grant for broken bones.
They could use
it to pay healers or get massage, PT, etc. As the general
fund
increases, this fund may pay more for broken bones, then expand into
more categories.
Members receive discounts with
Philadelphia area healers and medical centers, discounts for Patch
Adams tours, discounts with local bike shops, dentists, health food
stores, etc.
WHIMSICAL: Pleasant surprises, clowns,
furniture foolery.
COLORFUL: Cheerful tie dye
RESPECTFUL: We tend visitors, not
clients. We treat them as
equals. Healing requires Love and Time. Hugs are offered as
suited.
EMPOWERING: Preventive and Palliative care are
provided and taught:
home remedies, birth control, massage, acupuncture, acupressure,
cranial sacral, nutrition, first aid.
CREATIVE: Art, music, dance, singing and
clowning are understood as
integral to healing.
MODALITIES: All licensed or certified healing
modalities would be welcome.
RELATED SERVICES: The clinic will conjoin with
related neighborhood
functions such as green job center, library, child care, cannery for
orchard and farm produce, community credits, community meetings.
VOLUNTEER HEALING STAFF: Healers would
volunteer as in
Ithaca. Eventually wed hire a nurse clinician.
Principal volunteer staff would be invited to train at the Gesundheit!
Institute in West Virginia
MAXIMUM WAGE: Any paid administrative staff
would receive wages not
more than twice Philadelphia's regional "sustainable" wage.
CO-SPONSORS: We seek donations of building,
renovation,
equipment. We seek donations of building, renovation,
equipment. The free clinic will not endorse any
pharmaceutical company and will reduce reliance on prescription drugs
to minima. Corporate sponsorship shall not reduce authority
of members, neighborhood small businesses, regional medical centers,
and neighbors directly.
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CORE VALUES
Member-owned
(elected board with public meetings) with right to
referendum and committee participation..
* Elected
board at least 50% from neighborhood; 25% volunteers, 25%
other Philadelphians.
* Maximum
wage and maximum employed staff: twice livable wage
* Tax-exempt,
land trust and/or conservancy
* Financed
maximally by gift, barter, sweat equity and alternate
credits.
* Stimulate
equitable development
* Healing
soul as well as body, with laughter, fun, revolutionary
spirit. Humane service (Love and Time), playful as appropriate.
* Always
member-driven rather than staff driven. Maximum wage
for any employee is twice livable wage.
* Maximum
reliance on member labor and volunteer labor.
* Community
credits are welcome (MediCash, Equal Dollars, neighborhood
currencies, HOURS, Time Dollars, barter, sweat equity).
* Low-overhead
(donated and second hand equipment, recycled building
materials).
* Cooperative
health financing lowers member fees. Sweat
equity accepted for part payment.
* Endorsement
of a national health plan (MediCare for All) which is
democratic, transparent, affordable.
* Endorsement
of local and regional co-op health financing plans which
meet standards at http://healthdemocracy.org/legislation.html
* Public
meetings announced in advance. Minutes posted on
Clinic website.
CORE FUNCTIONS
� Preventive, diagnostic, palliative and referral health services via
both conventional and holistic therapies.
� Minor medical community-rated health plan regulated according to healthdemocracy.org/legislation.html
� Family planning upon request.
� Learning center for apprenticeships, internships, NESTS.
� Neighborhood-serving green job and green business development.
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Because clean air
and clean water are
foundations of personal health, this building will exemplify green
technologies. Building materials are regional, recycled,
hypoallergenic. 
geothermal
Expenses are kept low by by relying
least on dollars. To the maximum possible we rely on the gift
economy, barter, and alternate credit systems (Time Dollars, LETS,
HOURS, MediCash, etc.)
� Diversions from Emergency Rooms
office:
Volunteers
win their Patch Scout badge!