Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM), the first community-based volunteer clinic of its kind in Southeastern Pennsylvania, was founded in 1998 when members of the Board of the Paoli Memorial Hospital Foundation began to explore the extent of the cost of treating the uninsured in Chester County. With no insurance, people go without necessary or preventative healthcare, affecting their ability to work and to care for themselves and their families.  Uninsured individuals also seek help from hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency problems, thus overburdening hospital systems and resulting in unnecessarily high costs. Cognizant of this burden, the Paoli Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Paoli Hospital Women's Auxiliary set aside funds in 1996 to serve as venture capital for the development of CVIM.  The clinic opened its doors to its first medical patients under the leadership of founding President and CEO, Helen F. Heidelbaugh in May 1998.  In July of that year the clinic added a dental service.  

Original site of CVIM in May 1998, Frazer, PA

CVIM Founders are recognized by Chester County Commissioners - l to r: Commissioner Karen Martynick, Elizabeth R. Moran, Vincent J. "Buck" Bell, Jr., Gordon Hattersley, Commissioner Andy Dinniman and Warren V. Musser (1998).

Within a year of beginning operations, a second dental facility was opened in West Chester in space donated by the Chester County Public Health Department.  In 2001, after extensive planning and fundraising, CVIM consolidated its services into a converted and renovated warehouse where it remains today providing medical and dental services and a drug dispensary– five days and one evening a week.  

Medical exam room - newly renovated

In 2008, CVIM celebrated its 10th anniversary of serving as the medical and dental home for thousands of patients from Chester County.  The following year after the retirement of Helen Heidelbaugh as President and CEO, the Board of Directors named Maureen Tomoschuk as the clinic's new leader.  In the winter of 2009, the clinic completed an extensive expansion and renovation project, adding an additional 1,700 SF including two exam rooms, more efficient workspace for dental professionals and private space for patient counseling. CVIM currently maintains six dental operatories and 10 medical exam rooms in its 10,000 SF facility.   The new space also houses the Moran Family Conference Center which provides ample space for patient education and wellness programming, as well as staff and volunteer continuing education sessions.  The renovations were completed in approximately 3 months with no interruption of patient services.

Left: Current CVIM Front Door              Right:  Lab coats of dedicated volunteers