James Blessman
Dr. James L. Blessman is founder and executive director of the umbrella nonprofit Health Care Access Network (HCAN), which provides a weekly free clinic in 17 Iowa locations. HCAN reaches many Iowans who are employed, but have little or no health insurance.
With the vision of using volunteers from local churches, Blessman has recruited 200 doctors and 1,000 non-physician volunteers in the past decade to donate their services. In addition to free labor, the use of facilities is donated along with most of the equipment and medicines. The state covers malpractice insurance for the doctors providing the free care. The network provides free primary medical care, no strings attached, to those without a regular doctor.
Blessman practiced family medicine in Des Moines for years, but has recently participated in overseas short-term missionary health care trips to Third World countries. At 56, he says he has reached the point in life where most doctors are winding down and looking forward to a comfortable retirement. Instead, he and his wife, Beth, have become missionary associates with the Assemblies of God. They plan to participate in medical team and disaster response trips with the outreach HealthCare Ministries.