Frequently Asked Questions

Since the first Clinic in 2014, we have worked with a specialist who is certified in infection control and epidemiology to help ensure we take appropriate health safety measures throughout our operations. These are just some of the measures we are taking.

• All participants will undergo a health screening each day.
• At this time, masks are optional for all participants but are strongly encouraged in crowded areas. However, if a patient requests that a volunteer wear a mask during an interaction with them, or vice versa, that request should be followed. The mask policy may change according to public health guidance and community metrics for respiratory viruses.
• Volunteers and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 for personal safety and to help protect others, but it is not required.
• Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the Clinic.
• Surfaces and equipment will be sanitized after use.
• All Clinic facilities meet or exceed CDC/ASHRAE standards for ventilation and use MERV 13 filters.

To select your event(s), day(s) and assignment(s), click the blue CLICK TO SIGN UP / IN button. Once you’ve been redirected to the registration page, click the red RECALL MY INFORMATION button at the top to login with your username and password. You will be taken to a dashboard where you can click to UPDATE your personal information, REGISTER for a specific event, EDIT an existing event registration, or CANCEL your event participation entirely.

It will vary by assignment, but for some assignments the day is not broken into shifts because it impacts efficiency and reduces the number of patients that can be served. The full length of a shift (check-in time – end time) is shown next to each assignment in the online registration system.

The Clinic will begin distributing patient admission tickets at 5:30 AM. Patients are admitted to register at 6:30 AM and the Clinic generally lasts until 6 PM. Volunteers are also needed to help with set-up and take-down in the days before and after the Clinic.

Click the red RECALL MY INFORMATION button at the top of the page to log in with your username and password. You will be taken to a dashboard where you can click to UPDATE your personal information, REGISTER for a specific event, EDIT an existing event registration, or CANCEL your event participation entirely.

Be sure to click SAVE AND SUBMIT at the end of the registration form. If you are having problems, please email [email protected] or call 206-615-1835.

1. Choose a different assignment.
2. Choose that assignment and be put on a wait list. If you are only on the wait list, you are not scheduled to participate unless an opening occurs.
3. Choose that assignment and be put on a wait list and then select an alternate assignment. In this case you are scheduled for the alternate assignment unless an opening occurs for your wait-listed assignment. If you choose to be on the wait list, we highly recommend you select an alternate assignment so you can still participate.

If an opening becomes available in your wait list assignment and you are moved into it, you will receive an email notice of this change and any alternate assignment will automatically be canceled.

Students who do not meet the stated requirements, or if student assignments are full, are encouraged to participate as General Support volunteers so they can still experience and contribute to the Clinic. Students fluent in other languages are also needed as interpreters.

Many groups or offices volunteer on the same day, however, each person must register individually. Where you are scheduled to work may differ according to the assignment you are filling, but there will be opportunities for you to interact with your friends and colleagues during the day. List your organization/employer in the registration system so we know you’re there together.

We welcome having healthcare professionals work with your regular team, however, you each need to register individually. Also list your organization/employer in the registration system so we know what team you’re with or if your organization/employer will need a report of volunteers after the clinic.

General Support (non-clinical) volunteers are instrumental in the operation of the Clinic. You may select assignments such as patient registration, patient escort, waiting area monitor, volunteer check-in, paperwork processing, supply restocking, etc. We also have a pool of volunteers called General Support – As Assigned who we place in assignments where people are most needed. Clinic organizers may do this in advance of the Clinic or on the event day itself.

We also need help during set-up and take-down in the days before and after the Clinic. Special skills and/or ability to lift heavy objects are not required. You might help sort and inventory supplies, assemble kits, lay out instruments, put up signs, etc.

If you are a healthcare professional and clinical assignments in your field are full, you are more than welcome to volunteer in a General Support capacity. Your healthcare expertise often proves useful even in these assignments.

Seattle Center staff and security are on site to manage the overnight operation overall.

We make General Support (G) assignments open to any volunteer. Sometimes assignments for healthcare professionals may be full, or we don’t need your profession this year but you would still like to participate in the Clinic. In other cases, such as set-up, since we’re not treating patients on those days your profession isn’t technically needed. However, your capable hands and even healthcare expertise are still very useful in a General Support capacity.

If your current malpractice insurance doesn’t cover you in this setting, or you are at all in doubt, many U.S. licensed healthcare professionals can apply for free malpractice insurance, paid for by the Department of Health, through the Volunteer and Retired Provider Program. Seattle/King County Clinic is an approved site. Details at wahealthcareaccessalliance.org/vrp-program.

Patients will sign a liability waiver that helps to protect all volunteers but does not alleviate the need for malpractice insurance. This Clinic is an approved mission of the Public Health Reserve Corps (Seattle & King County), and members who volunteer will be covered under that program.

We arrange for group rates at nearby hotels. Visit seattlecenter.org/volunteers or contact us at [email protected] for the most up-to-date information.

Yes, there will be both police and campus security onsite. Still, we ask that volunteers leave valuables at home. Only bring with you what is absolutely necessary, always maintain important items on your person for safekeeping. The parking garage is patrolled by campus security, but to help prevent break-ins please keep items out of sight. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged possessions.

Volunteers will receive an email with a link to orientation and reference materials a few weeks prior to your participation. This will address everything from how to get here, the location for free volunteer parking, when and where to check in, what to bring, as well as information specific to your volunteer assignment. Please be sure to read through these materials even if you volunteered before as information may have changed. We want you to be fully informed about what to expect before arriving.

Short onsite orientations will be given by area leadership at the start of each day. Late cancellations and no-shows impact the number of patients we are able to serve. If you discover you are unable to participate, please be sure to cancel your registration online or contact us as soon as possible so we can find someone else to fill your assignment.

No, however all patients and their guests will be required to complete a health screening prior to receiving a ticket. Do not attend if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms of flu or COVID-19. At this time, masks are optional for all participants but are strongly encouraged in crowded areas. However, if a patient requests that a volunteer wear a mask during an interaction with them, or vice versa, that request should be followed. The mask policy may change according to public health guidance and community metrics for respiratory viruses.

While we have no way of knowing exactly what time we will run out of tickets for a given service, we try to frequently update our social media pages once ticket distribution has begun. You can access our Facebook page for the most updated posts.

We know it is difficult for many people in all types of circumstances to get in line early in the morning, but we only have the one admission process. You may send someone to stand in line for you to get a ticket (but they will only be able to get one ticket, not one for you and one for themself), but you must be present and be in possession of that ticket when the ticket number is called to be admitted to the Clinic. We have no way of estimating when the number will be called; it may take 4 hours to call all the numbers and admit people into the building. Your arrangement with this person is your responsibility, so be sure that you have a good way of communicating with them. The volunteers at the Clinic will not be able to track this person down or hold a place for you.

• Before being given an admission ticket you will be asked what type(s) of care you are seeking. You can choose dental and medical care OR vision and medical care OR just one type of care in a single day. You cannot seek dental and vision care in the same day.
• Once you have your ticket, you can wait in Fisher Pavilion until it’s close to the time for your admission to the Clinic, or you may leave the area and come back.
• Beginning at 6:30 AM, numbers will be called in groups in Fisher Pavilion and you will be escorted to the Clinic. You cannot enter until your number is called; it may take 3 or 4 hours for all numbers to be called.
• First, you’ll go to registration where, to start your Clinic healthcare record, a volunteer will ask your name, age, and a mailing address where we can send lab results and/or completed eyeglasses.
• After registration, you will meet with a healthcare professional. The healthcare professional will take your blood pressure, temperature, and medical history. Your blood pressure and glucose must be within certain limits for you to receive dental care. This is for your safety. DO NOT fast for lab tests.
• Clinic staff will give you paperwork for the areas (dental, medical or vision) you can visit today. You can choose which of these you want to go to first.
• At the start of each area (dental, medical or vision), you’ll meet with a healthcare professional. That person will determine your treatment plan based on your most critical needs and the availability of services. You may not get all the services that you want or that are offered if many people need the same service. You can come back on another day to try to get additional services, but you must start the process over again by waiting in line to get a ticket.
• For each service, you will get in line and be seen on a first-come, first-served basis (it is not based on your original admission number).
• Before leaving a care area (dental, medical or vision), stop at the Checkout Station to turn in your healthcare record for that area.
• Then you can go to your second authorized area, if time allows.
• Vision patients will be able to return on a specified date to pick up their prescription eyeglasses or have their prescription eyeglasses mailed to them.
• You can speak with Social Workers to learn about local services and resources. You can also speak with professionals to understand your health insurance options.

It depends. If you have one of the last tickets and the process is moving more slowly than anticipated, there is a chance we might not be able to complete your service that day. If a healthcare professional has authorized a specific service and we can’t treat you that day, you will be scheduled to finish your authorized service on another day.

Patients may seek dental and medical care OR vision and medical care OR just one type of care in a single day. Patients cannot seek dental and vision care in the same day.

Due to limited time and high demand, patients may not get all of the treatments offered in a single care area (dental, medical, or vision). A treatment plan will be determined by a healthcare professional based on the patient’s most critical needs and the availability of services. Patients can come back on another day to try to get additional services, but they must start the process all over again by waiting in line to get a ticket.

• DENTAL: Treatment for pain or discomfort, known or suspected cavities, swollen gums, broken teeth.
• MEDICAL: Primary care, x-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, select lab tests, immunizations, foot care, dermatology, physical and occupational (hand/wrist/elbow) therapy, acupuncture, nutrition, behavioral health, and more.
• VISION: Vision screenings, complete eye exams, reading glasses, and prescription eyeglasses. Bring an official printed prescription (less than two years old) to skip the exam and just get eyeglasses. Patients will be able to return on a specified date to pick up their prescription eyeglasses or have their prescription eyeglasses mailed to them.
• RESOURCES: Social work, help with health insurance, and more.

Any patient under age 18 must have a parent or legal guardian with them during registration and services. Exceptions may be made under the Mature Minors Doctrine for youth ages 13 and above who are not in contact with a parent or legal guardian.

• DENTAL: Bridges, complex extractions including wisdom teeth, dentures, implants, orthodontics, root canals on molars, sedation, teeth whitening
• MEDICAL: Biopsies, casts, CT scans, stitches/sutures, immunizations for children under 18 years of age, MRIs, new prescriptions for behavioral health medications
• VISION: Contact lenses, sunglasses
• Opioids or opioid prescriptions

Be prepared for a long day. Your comfort is your responsibility. We suggest you bring plenty of food and water, any medications you require, warm and comfortable clothing, and some kind of entertainment (books, magazines, etc.). You do not need ID or documentation of any type for the Clinic. No illegal drugs, alcohol, or weapons are allowed onsite.

The information below addresses the most common concerns related to immigration status and the Clinic:

• Patients DO NOT need ID or proof of immigration status to seek care at the Clinic.
• The Clinic does not ask about immigration status.
• Private information, including patient records, is not shared without patient consent, unless required by law.
• The three facilities where clinical care is provided are designated non-public areas. Credentials are required for entry. Immigrations enforcement would need a valid judicial warrant signed by a judge to enter.
• The Clinic does not receive federal funding and clinic services are free to all patients. Therefore, services patients receive at the clinic are not considered a “public benefit” as it relates to immigration status.
• In Washington, state and local law enforcement agencies, including Seattle Police Department, do not have the authority to enforce immigration laws. Immigration law enforcement is exclusively a federal function.

As more details about immigration policies, practices, and their relation to Seattle/King County Clinic become available, updates will be posted here.

The Clinic makes every effort to accommodate people with disabilities. The following outlines the most common accommodations that are utilized as well as barriers that may be encountered. Clinical and non-clinical volunteers have a mix of experience involving people with disabilities. We offer just-in-time training; however, with so many volunteers, we cannot be certain that all of them have an equal level of competency. If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected] or 206-615-1835.

Patients are welcome and encouraged to bring a guest/person who can support their needs throughout the Clinic, especially if there is doubt whether the Clinic can provide it.

Interpretation services are available throughout the Clinic. We offer ASL interpretation. If a medically certified interpreter is not available onsite, we utilize AMN Healthcare Language Services’ remote interpretation devices. Tactile interpretation is not something we can guarantee, very few (if any) interpreters volunteer at the Clinic.

Printed signs, reference sheets, and informational materials are used throughout the Clinic to assist patients with hearing disabilities. Two hearing loops are also available upon request.

Volunteers complete most required forms and can assist patients with visual disabilities by reading information aloud, filling in other requested details, and identifying where a patient signature may be required. In Fisher Pavilion, announcements are made over a speaker system to inform patients about the ticket distribution process and when ticket numbers are being called.

Quiet areas are available upon request in McCaw Hall and the Exhibition Hall for people with sensory disabilities.

Seattle Center and its facilities are ADA accessible, and volunteers have been informed about accessible pathways to use with patients.

The Clinic provides escorts to help patients get from location to location throughout the Clinic. Seating is available in each location. Wheelchairs (regular and bariatric) are available to assist in this transport process, if needed, but are not for the patient to remain in all day. Escorts are given just-in-time training on how to safely work with wheelchairs.

Some procedures may require people in wheelchairs to leave the chair to be treated. Because they are not trained, volunteers are not allowed to physically lift patients in or out of a chair, exam table/chair, or wheelchair. We do not have lifts available.

• Mammograms are performed in a van that is not wheelchair accessible and requires using a few stairs.
• The ability to have an x-ray or ultrasound while in a wheelchair depends on the body part requiring the image.
• If patients are not able to transfer from their wheelchair to a reclinable dental chair some services may be limited. We do everything possible to treat the person in their wheelchair, however whether than can physically be accomplished is dependent upon the extent and location of the dental needs.