Used to be every small town had a doctor who handled birth, death and everything in between. Now people in rural communities are often lucky if they can get to a doctor within four hours. Small towns just can’t provide the kind of income for doctors that larger populations can, and adequate health care becomes a distant luxury. To address this in the hills and hollows of Appalachia, some United Methodist doctors have taken to the road in a large mobile medical van … a miracle on wheels to some of the people who are helped.

“Has he been gaining weight as far as you know?”

BABY JACOB HAS BEEN CONGESTED FOR MONTHS, BUT MONEY’S TIGHT.

Mary Walker, Jacob’s mom: “They expect money, a co-payment, so you can’t go….”

Dr. Paul Derden: “Does anybody smoke in the home?

“He has been when I’ve left him with my mom…”

Mary Walker: “I thought if they gave me medicine, I’d have to pay for it but when they told me it was no charge, it was a big relief.”

Dr. Paul Derden: “So you’re not feeling too good?”

TWO DOCTORS…

Dr. Tim Schwob: “What did you do to this originally?”

BATTLING ONE HUGE PROBLEM…HEALTHCARE FOR POOR PEOPLE IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS PRECIOUS LITTLE.

Dr. Paul Derden: “They have to make a choice between do they eat or do they buy their medications? And oftentimes it’s the healthcare that get sacrificed.”

POVERTY AND ISOLATION MAKE IT TOUGH FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES TO ATTRACT MEDICAL SERVICES, SO THESE DOCTORS COMMITTED TO BRINGING THE MEDICINE TO THEM… 3 DAYS A WEEK. THE TEAM TRAVELS TO SOME OF THE POOREST AREAS OF APPALACHIA. ALL SERVICES ARE FREE. THEY ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS.

Dr. Paul Derden: “It’s a ministry of sorts. We hope that God can use us- to work though us- to impact people’s lives for the better.”

(Older patient) “You can’t do nothing without them charging an arm and a leg for…”

WHEN PEOPLE DON’T HAVE INSURANCE THEY OFTEN PUT OFF SEEKING TREATMENT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

Dr. Tim Schwob: “They end up in ER’s and ICU’s and that sort of thing with problems that could have been taken care of.”

Dr. Paul Derden: “If you need anything…just come back….”

Dr. Tim Schwob: “It gives us a chance to put our faith into action.”

Dr. Paul Derden: “I can’t imagine a greater sense of fulfillment than what we’re doing.”

On average they see about 30 patients a day.

The need for affordable, accessible healthcare is of course not unique to Appalachia.

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims, a United Methodist physician at Meharry Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, feels Americans don't realize we have a healthcare crisis in this country. And she insists that we push our lawmakers to provide healthcare just as readily as they do education and jobs.

“This country is perceived as being very progressive and that anyone who wants to work can work, and they don’t understand that there are some people who are not able to obtain jobs, and that some of the people work for small companies who do not offer healthcare. Or they’re self-employed and they do not have healthcare. Or if they’re not employed at all they are perceived to be eligible for Medicaid or AFDC, but they still may not receive that aid either. They can’t understand the paper work, or it’s too arduous for them to go through and so they just give up.

The biggest barrier is that the general population doesn’t perceive this as a major problem. I don’t think it’s insurmountable. If we can build all of the military equipment and computer equipment to oversee the country, then I think we can solve the problem of making sure that everyone has healthcare.”

Thanks to a dedicated physician, members of an Alabama United Methodist church are learning just how nice it is to have “a doctor in the house.” Dr. Sunita Puri has started a ministry that is not only strengthening people’s health but also their faith.

WHEN CHURCH MEMBERS DISCOVERED THERE WAS A DOCTOR IN THEIR MIDST…THEY STARTING ASKING QUESTIONS.

Dr. Sunita Puri “…as soon as I used to park the car in the parking area, they used to ask me questions-medical questions-oh they want me to look at their throat now?”

DR. SUNITA PURI DISCOVERED MANY OF HER FRIENDS- WHO WOULDN’T DREAM OF MISSING A CHURCH SERVICE- WEREN’T SO DEVOTED TO VISITING THEIR DOCTOR.

Dr. Puri “And I see people are scared to talk to doctors. They forget half of the time what questions to ask…”

SHE SOON REALIZED A NEED FOR MINISTRY. IF THE CONGREGANTS WOULDN’T GO TO THEIR DOCTOR, PURI WOULD BRING THE CLINIC TO THEM.

Man walks over to table “Yes, sir good morning!”

ONCE A MONTH THIS FAMILY PRACTITIONER CHECKS BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL AND HELPS KEEP TRACK OF THEIR MEDICATIONS.

Dr. Puri :“God has blessed my life with all the education and opportunity…and I want to use my knowledge to help people and to do God’s work.”

Dr. Puri: “Your cholesterol is good, yep…186, that’s a good number…”

INSURANCE HASSLES AND INDIFFERENCE CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR SOME SENIORS TO GROW OLD GRACEFULLY.

Mr. Reid “…sometimes I think waiting a year to get a checkup is maybe too long…”

PURI SAYS THESE CHURCH PARLOR CHECKUPS ARE PREVENTIVE MEDICINE…SHE’S HOPING TO SPOT PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF CONTROL.

Lois Broadhead “I felt like she saved my life…”

LOIS BROADHEAD HAD FELT DIZZY DURING A CHURCH SERVICE LAST YEAR. A QUICK BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK CONFIRMED THE WORST…

Lois Broadhead “…and she told me it was dangerously high and for me to meet her at the hospital…”

FRED REID HAD BEEN FEELING SO GOOD; HE’D STOPPED TAKING BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION…AND IT SHOWED.

Dr. Puri “And it was so high that he had other symptoms of headache, body ache, weakness….”

WITH DR. PURI’S SCOLDING, HE’S BACK ON HIS MEDICINE AND FEELING FINE.

Fred Reid “With her advice and what not, it helped me, ya know? Probably saved me…”

Dr. Puri w/member “Is your medicine going well with you?”

ON A TYPICAL SUNDAY, DR. PURI SEES 30 OR 40 “PATIENTS” BEFORE AND AFTER SERVICES. THIS DOCTOR CHARGES NO FEES, BUT SAYS THE REWARDS ARE GREAT.

Dr. Puri “And the satisfaction I get by helping people, saving lives…that is God’s gift to me.”

The church has expanded its health awareness program, setting up free medical screenings in shopping centers and nursing homes around the area.