ECHO Free Clinic celebrates 25 years of service to Bronx community

The Einstein Community Health Outreach (ECHO) Free Clinic celebrated 25 years of service to the Bronx community with a student-organized gala held on November 14, 2024. The clinic, a partnership between the Institute for Family Health and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has provided free health care to uninsured individuals at dedicated Saturday clinical sessions since 1999. This special night was a time for Institute and Einstein leadership and staff, student volunteers, and alumni to celebrate the ECHO Free Clinic and the impact it has had on thousands of student volunteers and the Bronx community.

The ECHO Free Clinic provides free, high-quality health care services to patients who do not have insurance. The Institute’s Dr. Amarylis Cortijo, MD and Dr. Sarah Nosal, MD (an Einstein alum) serve as co-medical directors and lead a team of Institute attending physicians and staff who provide direct service to patients, supported by dozens of student volunteers from Einstein.  Students have the opportunity to shadow attendings, coordinate a variety of administrative functions for the clinic, and offer patient support such as health education and assistance with navigating the health system. Through these volunteer experiences, they gain exposure to the complexity–and critical importance–of providing affordable, accessible primary care services to all in need.

Each year, the ECHO Free Clinic student Board organizes a fundraising dinner in the Bronx. Funds support student-led projects at the Clinic, such as produce distribution or subsidizing the cost of some medications for patients. The ECHO Free Clinic also benefits from generous support from Robin Hood, which provides a grant that funds a portion of the Clinic’s operating costs.

The clinic is open on Saturdays from 8:30am-12:00pm at the Institute’s Walton Family Health Center, and offers services in English and Spanish. To request an appointment, call (347) 854-0170.