Dr. Joe Freeman, an emergency room doctor, has set up a medical clinic near New Orleans to assist storm refugees. He describes the conditions he's seen in the last 10 days. NOTE: The clinic can be reached at (225) 773-1878 or via e-mail at dr740@aol.com.
Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): My      name is Dr. Joe Freeman.  I'm the founder of Free Life Medical Assistance      for Louisiana and we're trying to establish free life and medical      clinics, centers, offices for the people who have been devastated by      Katrina.</s>ED GORDON, host: Dr. Freeman was on our program earlier this week.  He told us he was      frustrated at the level of medical care that some of the evacuees were      receiving.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): A lady from Slidell, which is outside of New Orleans, and      she happens to be white, runs out of insulin.  She goes to Wal-Mart in my      little town and she asks--she says, `I'm out of insulin and I need my      insulin refilled.'  Now she's seen no doctor, she has no doctor, and, of      course, the pharmacist gives her the insulin.  But she forgets to get her      needle.  So she calls my ER.  I happened to be working, so I give her      some needles, right?  A black woman who is not driving in the car, is      being carted by a bus or a sheriff, she runs out of insulin.  This is a      younger black woman, OK?  And she needs her insulin.  She is told,      `Sorry, ma'am, you need a prescription.'</s>ED GORDON, host: We decided to check back with the doctor for an update.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): I'm starting in Jennings.  That's where I'm an ER doctor,      Ed, at this hospital in Jennings, Louisiana.  And that's an hour and a      half away from where I live in Baton Rouge, but at the same time, while I      was working on trying to establish a building to have this center.  I      realized I have an officer where I practice as a private physician for 10      years in Plaquemine, which is 70 miles from Baton Rouge and there's about      a thousand people right now that are not being seen and not being taken      care of in that city of Plaquemine.  So I'm trying to see if I could do      both because I'm now receiving help from doctors and nurses from      throughout the country willing to donate their time and money and bring      supplies to help.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): We're dealing with a population of people who didn't have Blue Cross/Blue      Shield, Aetna, you know, Mutual Life, whatever.  These are people who      basically relied on the charity systems, who received at some levels very      good health care because they were dealing with teaching centers which      are now gone or they received very poor health care because they didn't      have money and they didn't get treated.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): We're seeing children who were not immunized, OK?  We can sit there and      you can get all the data and there'd be somebody coming back and saying,      `Well, you know, I think that may be not correct.' Well, I'm seeing what      I'm seeing, and to see it more than enough--this has only been a week.      To see it at least three or four times, and then for others doctors in      the area to say, `You know what?  You know, this kid ain't immunized.'      When I see that, I kind of somewhat shut down and go, you know, `We just      need to get them immunized.  You know, you need to get that going.' But      now, because they don't have a private MD, you know--and I'll tell you      about that PMD which means private MD, it's going to be up to us to make      sure that happens.  So now instead of me saying, `Well'--write on my      instructions, `Follow up with your PMD,' they don't have one.  So now it      has to be followed up with me.  The public health risk is high.  That's      why we make it mandatory.  That's why we have it that, you know, children      before they go to school, they have to have X, Y and Z immunization      before they're allowed to school.  It is mandatory.  So tell me how      people can walk around and not be up to date?  I told you I have not seen      that.  So, you know, that was a problem before it got to Jennings,      Plaquemine, Bogalusa.  It was a problem before.  That says something.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): The hospital has not said one thing.  I don't know if the hospital--you      know, if the people--people who listen to your radio show, they have been      calling, you know, because they heard I worked in the ER and they've been      calling the hospital.  And the nurses that I work with, my nurses, they      have been nice to take messages, but no one from administration has said      anything.  I don't know if they know, if they know and choose not to say      anything or are just waiting for a moment to say something, but I still      wish they would because it would my opportunity to vent, to keep me sane,      to let people know that first of all we are supposed to see everybody      irregardless of insur--I mean, we have signs posted.  It's law.  And      we're not to ask about how much money you got in your pocket.  We don't      do biopsies of wallets.  So you see everybody.  So I am laying low for      someone to ask me about what I'm doing with these people from the      shelter.</s>Dr. JOE FREEMAN (Founder, Free Life Medical Assistance; Louisiana): We were working last night and one of my nurses said, `I cannot wait for      this to be over,' and I said, `It may not never be over.' I wanted my      11-, nine- and seven-year-old boy to know, `Look at the television and      see this is wrong and people are dying and Daddy's sad and Mommy's sad      and I know you-all are sad.' And I got the donation from a physician      friend of mine--a good friend of mine who said, `I'm giving you the money      'cause I know it's going to go where it needs to go,' and we will accept      donations or give the address, the phone numbers, all that good stuff so      people can contact and help us do what we need to do and hopefully--and      pray that the state and the feds will catch up because they're way, way,      way, behind.</s>ED GORDON, host: Dr. Joe Freeman practices family and emergency-room medicine in      Jennings, Louisiana.</s>ED GORDON, host: This is NPR News.