Musician’s Clinic

Development

Bethany Bultman went to Tulane University with the intent to become a writer (Bultman, Bethany, telephone interview by author, October 22, 2012). Part of her job was to write compelling stories about the tragedy of New Orleans’ musicians. The intent was twofold. On one hand, these stories were intended as a call to action. They were intended to encourage people help out. On the other hand, the magazines and papers she wrote for requested these stories because they helped sold the paper. However, she found that people weren’t talking about healthcare. They were simply accepting that musicians were in poor health.

However, Bultman didn’t go and found the clinic by herself. The NOMC was actually the brainchild of Dr. Jack McConnell, founder of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) (“Medicine Man” last accessed October 31, 2012 http://aands.virginia.edu/x2702.xml). McConnell met with health care advocates and other doctors in Louisiana to come up with a safety net for New Orleans’ musicians. Eventually, he founded the New Orleans Musician’s Clinic.

Founding to Present

The clinic had been in development for over a year before it saw its first patient in 1998. Since then, it has expanded to provide affordable healthcare to many more musicians in the city, and provide them with opportunities to start or expand their careers [see Mission, Vision, and Programs]. After Hurricane Katrina, the NOMAF was created from the Musicians’ Clinic in order to expand its mission and promise to keep New Orleans alive. McConnell has since retired from the clinic. Bultman is now the CEO/President of both the NOMC and NOMAF.

Mission and Vision

The mission of the NOMC was originally “to sustain New Orleans’ musicians in mind, body, and soul, no matter what they’re able to pay”(Bultman, Bethany, telephone interview by author, October 22, 2012). The mission statement has changed very slightly since the founding, but the message remains the same. The current mission statement is: “to keep music alive by sustaining New Orleans musicians and tradition bearers in body, mind and spirit. We do this through providing access to health and social services through [sic] the New Orleans Musicians.” Bultman, in an interview, described the problem of healthcare as one of [economic] class, not race. The goal of the clinic is to make healthcare available to everyone, regardless of class. The NOMC wishes to do this through policy as well as the programs it already implements. Louisiana has had universal healthcare since the 1930’s, but musicians and those in poverty still haven’t been able to receive any.

Activities and Programs

The clinic offers a variety of programs that break down into two categories. The first is their medical programs. The NOMC offers a wide range of medical programs in order to help its patients (“NOMC Health Services” last accessed October 25, 2012 http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/clinic-information/nomc-health-services/):
-Dental
-Mental Health
-Physical Therapy
-Prescriptions
-Vision
The NOMC offers a selection of alternative medicine and program, such as Project Rising Sun, which organizes therapeutic drum circles, community gardens, and other projects and activities.
The NOMC also offers programs to help artists get established or continue their careers. The NOMC will pay for gigs and provide them with ways to find work. As Bultman said in an interview, the NOMC engages with other communities, such as churches, in the area to help support their musicians (Bultman, Bethany, interview by Mathew Hinton, The Times-Picayune, Advance Digital, accessed October 30, 2012 http://www.nola.com/treme-hbo/index.ssf/2012/04/my_darlin_new_orleans_2012_bet.html).

Cultural Impact

Many, if not all, people from New Orleans will say that their city has a truly unique culture. The NOMC shares this view, and it says that the musicians are the forefront of New Orleans culture. When an outsider thinks of the city, more often than not, they think of its music. By keeping its musicians alive, the NOMC has kept New Orleans culture alive.

As Bultman said an interview, before the NOMC a musician could be famous worldwide, but then die of an easily preventable disease. People didn’t care too much about the musician himself, only his music. However, the musician’s music faded after his death, and would soon be forgotten. The clinic has done its best to keep the music alive. It provides programs to help musicians stay healthy and make healthy decisions. “What we feel is that we’re here to engage so they make better lifestyle choices,” said Bultman. The clinic wants to empower musicians to make better choices.

The clinic has seen over 2,400 patients, and it has altered social policy on local and national levels. The clinic sees musicians as community thought leaders, and it believes that providing care and encouraging change will lead to a better life for everyone.

Economic

The clinic has done its best to support musicians, which includes helping them support themselves. The clinic will pay for gigs in order to help musicians find work.3 These gigs are usually funded by community members and the clinic itself. According to the clinics brochure, many of the musicians are earning less than $15,000 a year (New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic and Assistance FDN. New Orleans Louisiana: New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, 2012). Providing them with work allows these musicians to make a life for themselves. In addition, the gigs that the clinic provides offer them new avenues for advertising. Street musicians have the ability to become nationally recognized idols.

However, the real support comes from the clinic’s medical side. The NOMC offers extreme discounts for its medical coverage. While the goal is free, recent cutbacks have forced the clinic to charge a $10 co-pay. However, that still provides them with extremely cheap medicine. The NOMC has been able to employ several doctors, and, perhaps unintentionally, provide support to one of the largest sources of New Orleans’ revenue; Mardi Gras. By keeping musicians alive, the clinic keeps the spirit of Mardi Gras alive, allowing one of the city’s biggest celebrations to continue.

Similar Organizations

Volunteers in Medicine

VIM was established by McConnell. The doctor questioned hitchhikers about their status, and he found that many were without healthcare and in poor medical condition. (http://www.volunteersinmedicine.org)

New Orleans Musicians’ Assistance Foundation

NOMAF is an offshoot of the NOMC. It was established after Hurricane Katrina as a means to expand the scope of the NOMC mission. (http://www.nomaf.org)

Tulane University’s New Orleans Children’s Health Clinic

A clinic run by Tulane University that provides free clinic services to children, defined 0-18 years old, if they or their parents are unable to pay, or have no insurance. (http://tulane.edu/som/chp/index.cfm)

Tulane Community Health Mobile Health Unit On the Road

A moving clinic provided by Tulane University that treats adults and children. A co-pay will be charged to those with health insurance. Those without will be taken care of for free. (http://www.gnomobileunits.org/tchmobile.html)

VCA Charities

VCA provides support and specialty care for pets and not adopted animals in an effort to improve their conditions. It is part of VCA Animal Hospitals, but the charity end focuses specifically on strays, abused and neglected animals, and those born in shelters. (http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/charities)