Karisa Thede is a registered nurse with eight years of experience in the Salem Hospital Emergency Department. She has observed an increasing need for accessible healthcare in Salem, Oregon. In response, Thede began volunteering at Salem Free Clinics in 2013 and returned in 2022. She is one of several Salem Health employees who volunteer to support uninsured and underinsured residents.
Five years ago, Thede became a patient advocate at Salem Health. She now volunteers twice a month as an intake nurse at the clinics. She says these clinics provide essential medical care to people of all ages who lack insurance or are underinsured.
The clinics serve a wide range of patients, including children needing sports physicals and adults in their 40s to early 60s who do not qualify for Medicare. Many patients have not seen a healthcare provider in years. The clinics help connect them to ongoing care…