Davis Vision & Public Health Management Corp. Provide Free Eye Care to Philadelphia's Homeless
PLAINVIEW, NY (Jan. 12, 2009) – Davis Vision has joined forces with the Public Health Management Corp. (PHMC) to provide free vision care and eyeglasses to local uninsured homeless individuals. Eligible patients at the Mary Howard Health Center at 125 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, will benefit from this new community relationship.
"Taking care of one's eyesight is very important," said Joseph Wende, O.D., Davis Vision senior vice president of Professional Affairs and Quality Management. “By evaluating these individuals’ eye health, we can initiate care immediately for those who need it, helping to correct or prevent vision disorders.”
Davis Vision piloted this new service in November, and began providing free vision care to uninsured homeless Philadelphians this month. It now joins Mary Howard’s quest to offer the widest possible range of health care services to the homeless, which includes primary care, psychiatric services, family planning, assistance with benefits and physical exams.
“We are honored to support the good work of PHMC by reaching out to serve those who are most vulnerable,” said Laura Dyer, Davis Vision’s assistant vice president, Community Outreach & Media Relations.
With industry studies reporting that the average national cost of a single pair of prescription eyeglasses is about $285, the total cost, including an eye examination, could be $350-$400 or more. “Without relationships like the one we have created with PHMC, the cost of eye care for many Philadelphians would be out of reach,” said Dyer. Eyeglasses will be fabricated in Davis Vision’s new ophthalmic laboratory, which opened this fall in Newtown Square, PA.
Davis Vision has a long history of involvement in local community outreach programs. It regularly sponsors free vision screening clinics for children and has partnered with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, New York Children’s Vision Coalition, United Way, MercyFirst and other charities to make a difference in the community.
For additional information about the vision program at the Mary Howard Health Center or to determine eligibility, call 215-592-4500.
About Davis Vision
Davis Vision is part of the HVHC Inc. group of companies, which also includes Viva International Group and Eye Care Centers of America. One of the nation's premier managed vision care companies, Davis Vision has been providing comprehensive vision benefits for over 45 years, and currently serves over 55 million individuals nationwide through an extensive blended network of approximately 30,000 ophthalmologists and optometrists, in addition to many opticians and top national retail providers.
About Mary Howard Health Center
Mary Howard Health Center is the only comprehensive primary care health center in Philadelphia specifically for homeless people. A program of the Public Health Management Corp. (PHMC), Mary Howard is based on the premise that all-inclusive, continuous health care for homeless people is achievable. The center also partners with PHMC’s Health Care for the Homeless Project and many other area providers to address the health and social services needs of the region’s homeless population.
