Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine (LVIM) began as a dream of various community leaders and organizations in 1999. Led primarily by various Watson Clinic physicians and the Watson Clinic Foundation, Lakeland came together to find ways to meet the healthcare challenges of the working uninsured in Lakeland. In 2000, a fundraising campaign was launched, which resulted in the dream becoming a reality in the old John Cox Grammar School on Lakeland Hills Boulevard.

Now twelve years later, LVIM’s vision is, “may we have the eyes to see those who are rendered invisible and excluded, open arms to reach out and include them, healing hands to touch their lives with love and in the process, heal ourselves.”

LVIM’s mission is providing free primary health care to the working uninsured of Polk County. By creating a compassionate and nurturing environment for patients, volunteers and staff based on the philosophy that healing does not begin with a pill or a therapy.  All patients are treated with dignity and respect they deserve while receiving quality healthcare and medicine they need to continue being productive community members. LVIM also helps to reduce inappropriate emergency room visits and strives for a healthier community by providing services the working uninsured would struggle to attain elsewhere.

In addition to primary care, LVIM has many specialist volunteering their time at LVIM or in their offices in the areas of asthma, cardiology, chiropractic, ophthalmology, pediatrics, dermatology, ENT, GI, dental clinic, orthopedics, ophthalmology, pediatrics, physical therapy, podiatry, general surgery, vascular consults and women’s health. LVIM leverages every available community resource to provide vital tests or procedures LVIM patients need.