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DISASTER
RECOVERY

The AMAF, in addition to its donations
website, is accepting contributions
by mail and telephone. Make checks
out to AMA Foundation, and send to
330 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 39300,
Chicago, IL 60611-5885. For telephone
donations, call 312-464-4200.

ing goal thanks to a new gift from organized medicine in Michigan.
Almost $570,000 already has been distributed. It went to 49 medical
practices employing 135 physicians and 1,048 non-physician staff.
A major focus of the Indiana Association of Family Physicians
Related Coverage Foundation, which has raised more than $100,000, is to provide
HURRICANE-RELIEF EFFORT AIMS TO GET generators to aid physicians in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria did
PRACTICES BACK ONLINE ASAP major damage to the island’s electrical grid.
Texas was the first state to suffer devastating damage this hurri- “So far, we have 50 practices open with generators purchased and
cane season—from Harvey in August—and some physicians in af- soon will add 15 more practices and offices” said family physician
fected areas are still reeling from the devastation. Kim Yu, MD, a California physician who helped organize the effort.
“There is a huge need for help for these physician practices that “These generators are being used to not only provide light, but also
have been put out of business and have had to move, or now be- power for refrigerators for medications, like insulin and vaccines.
cause of the flood they have to buy all new equipment,” said Im- They are also being used to power machinery required to fix offices
mediate TMA Past President Don R. Read, MD, a Dallas surgeon and repair from all the hurricane damage.”
and chair of the TMA’s Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund Pro- She added that there remain many physicians “who require gen-
gram committee. It is a committee of The Physicians Benevolent erators to help power equipment like EKGs, ultrasound machines,
Fund, which is a TMA organization. Dr. Read said that most of the nebulisers and more—but we lack funding. Thank you, AMA Foun-
requests have been for flood damage not covered by insurance. dation, for helping Puerto Rico doctors get back to doing what they
“We very much appreciate the donation from the AMA Founda- do best: healing, caring and seeing patients.”
tion. It has been a great help in assisting physicians and we expect Dr. Yu said she is “hoping we will be able to raise more funds”
to spend all the money we’ve collected so far in helping all these for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Island.
different practices that were affected by the flood,” he said. “It’s so terrible there, and it looks like many will be without power
The TMA, at last count, had just surpassed its $1 million fundrais- for many more months,” she said.

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