ABOUT THE CLINIC

MISSION, VISION, AND LEGACY

The Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California is a welcoming and inclusive health care clinic located in downtown Oakland, California, adjacent to Cathedral of Christ the Light. Staffed by an all-volunteer team of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals, the Clinic provides free, onsite, and virtual health care services and treatment to more than 5,000 medically uninsured and underserved patients and their families each year.

Marking our 15th anniversary in 2023, the Order of Malta Clinic continues to grow in scope of services, geographic reach, and community impact. We currently serve patients from more than 76 Bay Area cities and as far away as Sacramento, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clinic has seen a sharp rise in patient volume and an increasing demand for specialty care, especially among individuals who are employed yet remain uninsured. To meet this need, over the last year we have extended telemedicine and virtual services to reach more patients, and have embarked on a physical expansion to substantially increase our footprint that will help us help more.

OUR STORY

The Clinic was first envisioned in 2005 by the Bishop of Oakland, Allen Vigneron and the President of the Western Association of the Order of Malta, Richard Madden. Rising from the Order of Malta’s commitment to practice charity to the sick and the poor, both men saw the opportunity to positively impact the health and well-being of the uninsured and the vulnerable of the Bay Area. In 2008, several devoted Knights and Dames of the Order, under the leadership of the first President of the Clinic Bill McInerney, partnered with the Western Association and the Diocese of Oakland to create the very successful Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California.

OUR MODEL

Our team is comprised of more than 70 volunteer physicians, nurses, and support staff, all committed to delivering high-quality care to those who need it most.

OUR LEGACY

The Order of Malta’s story began more than 900 years ago in 1048 A.D., when a group of hospitaller monks of the Order of St. John were asked to manage and staff a hospital in Jerusalem, caring for pilgrims and travelers of various faiths. That group of monks acted accordingly, and thereby founded the organization presently known as the Order of Malta, a lay order of the Catholic Church which ministers to the sick and the poor of many nations.

Today, we are honored to carry on the Order of Malta’s legacy of service by caring for the Bay Area’s uninsured and underrepresented communities. This includes undocumented families who are wary of seeking medical attention at physician offices or hospitals, as well as patients who do not visit a doctor regularly and/or have received little to no medical attention in recent years. For these individuals, our Clinic is their only source of safe medical care, in an environment of trust and compassion.

SERVICES AND SPECIALTIES