Partners in Care an Early Member of the Access to Care Collaborative Dedicated to Creating Timely Access to Care for the Working, Poor Uninsured in the San Fernando Valley
The Access to Care Collaborative pilot model was established in 2002. Currently, this Access to Care/MEND free care clinic has 19 volunteers and four employees. In 2005, the Access to Care Collaborative took a great leap forward with ALL major hospital leaders of the San Fernando Valley (SFV) joining the Access to Care Collaborative, thus providing the ability to supply funds and expand the volunteer free care clinic model to additional areas in the SFV and further strengthening the resources of the Collaborative to continue in its mission to provide healthcare services for the uninsured working poor.
Through Access to Care’s master tracking system, both the general clinic as well as the Diabetes/Hypertension clinic has seen a total of 1,095 patients as of mid-year. The Volunteer panel has grown to 7 physicians, 5 nurses, 6 translators, a Family Practice Resident for the Diabetes Clinic, a pharmacy tech, and support volunteers. Furthermore, it has been discovered that the number one diagnoses of all the patients from the clinic is Diabetes. The remaining four of the top five are hypertension/anxiety, body pain, arthritis, and gastric problems. The number of appointments for the first half of 2006 is already more than twice the total number of appointments made in the first six months of operation in 2003. Of the 326 appointments made in the first half of 2006, 57 (17%) were for new patients and 269 (83%) were for returning patients. Obviously, when someone finds out about an ACC clinic, he or she is eager to return for help they cannot get anywhere else. The care is first rate, provided by experienced physicians, registered nurses, and other professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to this worthy operation, hoping to make a positive difference in the community.
The Access to Care Clinic is unique in that it is a powerful, cost-effective model being a clinic within a clinic. It provides full primary care, GYN exams and supports a Diabetes Clinic. It expands services of an already built system with available space, staff, and malpractice insurance coverage. The responsibilities of ACC are to coordinate and recruit volunteer physicians, registered nurses, and medical translators, with strong support from the member San Fernando Valley hospitals. In addition the cost of medications and diagnostics are covered by ACC members. By offering services within an already built community clinic, ACC is able to cut major costs and provide the timely access to care for the uninsured that is so needed in the community. As the Access to Care Clinic has matured and trends have been tracked, it has been discovered that the needs of the patients and providers require more than an episodic primary care resource.
in 2005, the Access to Care Collaborative took a great leap forward with all hospital leaders in the San Fernando Valley (SFV) joining the Access to Care Collaborative and committing to dues for 3 years, thus providing the ability to supply some of the needed funds for acquiring staff to expand the volunteer free care clinic model to additional areas in the SFV and further strengthening the resources of the Collaborative to continue in its mission to provide healthcare services for the uninsured working poor.
The Access to Care Collaborative includes: CHW/Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Providence St. Joseph and Providence Holy Cross, Mission Community Hospital, Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, Kaiser Permamente San Fernando Valley, Valley Presbyterian Hospital, West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and Health Center, MEND, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles/San Fernando Pastoral Region and Partners in Care Foundation. In addition to being an early Collaborative member, Partners in Care serves as the fiduciary home
