Sustainable Economic Development

about a year ago we fundraised $35,000 from private donations and two small grants to purchase an ultrasound machine for the clinic. we bought a small, portable, sonosite Titan machine, brand new, and started using it during urgent care hours, mostly for early pregnancy dating and miscarriage.

we also started a new business, called Access Ultrasound, run by two wonderful women who coordinate with licensed ultrasound techs and a radiologist to offer high quality abdomenal and pelvic ultrasounds for an affordable price. they charge $100 per study, noone is turned away. the Radiologist is semi-retired and gave us a great deal, $25 per read. the techs earn about as much as they do elsewhere but their gift to the process is extreme flexibility in the face of a slow building process.

currently the ultrasound business takes referrals from about 4-5 clinic, a few midwives and some nurse practitioners, in albuquerque and some very distant towns. word is spreading.

and just this past week the ultrasound business gave out it's first dividend checks to my clinic and to the Kalpulli Izkalli, our partners who run the Traditional Medicine clinic. $350. it was a proud moment for all of us. A first visible step towards sustainable economic independence in a way that supports and promotes people's health instead of preying on their wallets at their moments of vulnerability.

with a health system so out of control, so profit driven, and with some really good, relatively affordable technology available, it's hard work but doable for small groups to set up competitive businesses and make human scale profits that price fairly for the average working-poor person.

andale pues.

andru