Dr. Wendy Klein, medical director at Health Brigade, never saw a female doctor while growing up. Despite not seeing these role models, she developed a passion for medicine at a very young age and continued to pursue her dream. “It’s an incredible privilege to be able to take care of people, and it’s also very challenging and very intellectually fulfilling,” she says. “I love learning and I love teaching, and medicine is a pathway to those things.”
Health Brigade, formerly the Fan Free Clinic, has been in operation for 50 years, making it Virginia’s oldest free clinic. “We are committed to providing exceptional health services to the least served and most vulnerable populations — to the people who have no insurance, no Medicaid, no Medicare,” Klein says. “Our goal is to provide a full spectrum of care without judgment.” Health Brigade offers an array of services, including health screenings, mental health services, navigation of social services, access to medications, transgender care, universal hepatitis screening and more.
When the COVID-19 crisis hit, Klein and her team were forced to act immediately upon realizing that they did not have enough personal protective equipment. They closed most of the clinic (while still safely distributing medications and other essential services) and got their telehealth system up in record time. In some ways, Klein has found that they are more efficient, having learned what is most essential. “Health Brigade is unique in its commitment to health equity and social justice,” she says. “I work with an amazing group of people who share that commitment. I am just so profoundly proud of the way in which everybody rose to the occasion.”
Sponsored by Heritage Wealth Advisors
