Despite the well-publicized changes that have occurred in the delivery of health care, countless people still need assistance, especially for specialized treatment.
One medical professional on the front lines of helping others is Philip Colletier, M.D., the medical director at Mercy Cancer Center in Des Moines and current board president of the Polk County Medical Society (PCMS). He is also one of 453 active participants in the Volunteer Physician Network (VPN), which is a specialty care referral program of the PCMS that provides care at no cost to patients without health care coverage. Last year alone, the program served 951 patients, who received more than $3.7 million in free care in 34 specialties.
“It’s very satisfying and rewarding to be able to care for patients in need at the ground level, just like we would with any other patient who’s covered by insurance,” says Colletier, who has been involved with the VPN for about eight years.
The patients the program serves are typically referred from free clinics or community health centers because they need specialty care. “Because of their personal circumstances, these are patients that wouldn’t be able to be treated anywhere else . . . so they can really fall through the cracks if we don’t help,” Colletier says.
Colletier, who has been in Des Moines for 16 years, is a radiation oncology specialist and treats people with lung, breast, head and neck cancers. Prior to moving to Des Moines, the Glenview, Ill., native was a resident at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He also served as a battalion surgeon in the U.S. Army in both Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Colletier describes the VPN’s work as similar to the pro bono work the legal profession does for those who can’t afford to hire a lawyer. “There’s almost nothing we can’t address through the VPN,” says the 50-year-old Colletier. “It’s great to see other specialists, all of whom are typically well-compensated, do what they’re supposed to do and work together to get something done. And everyone is doing it for the right reasons and doing their part to be patient advocates, all while giving back to the community.”
Colletier not only volunteers for the VPN, but also serves as the president and treasurer of the Dale Swift Fund, a philanthropic fund that provides money to families of cancer patients. In addition, he’s helping to build a healing garden at Mercy Medical Center—West Lakes in West Des Moines.
“I have been involved with the VPN program since its inception, and believe it is one of the best-kept secrets in town,” says Kathie Lyman, executive director of the PCMS. “Dr. Colletier and all the other providers in our network work tirelessly to provide the care they believe every individual is entitled to, despite their economic situation.”
Recruiting physicians to participate in the VPN isn’t difficult, Colletier says: “We sell them on the value of physician engagement and how it’s spiritually and emotionally fulfilling. It’s because you’re giving back to the community in a very valuable way, so it makes you feel like you’re making a difference.”
