Growing up in the suburbs, I was used to services being driving distances from one another. The grocery store a 5-minute drive from my home; the pharmacy 10 minutes in the other direction; my PCP, dentist, and OB/GYN in entirely separate practices. With the privilege of access to private transportation, this was not an issue – and is a typical set-up in the suburbs.
Health Center 9
My service term at Health Center 9 in Germantown, however, has demonstrated the power of a community hub. The PDPH Health Centers offer primary care, dental, family planning, OB/GYN, social services, pediatrics, a lab, COVID testing/vaccines, and a pharmacy all in one common building. In Germantown, where Health Center 9 is located, it is at least a 30-minute trip downtown via public transit, involving transfers between multiple buses and trains. The diversity of services at the PDPH Health Centers allows these clinics to have a community emphasis, where patients can continue to use the same clinic from childhood to adulthood, as well as for social services. In addition, Face to Face, a community organization, is right around the corner – offering legal assistance, housing assistance, and daily meals.
Having many services, including social services, mental health services, and medical care, in the same area allows people to efficiently see many providers at once. As well, it lets providers work in an interdisciplinary manner and see the connection between social problems and physical health. Being able to refer patients to other services the same day, in the same clinic, allows for an integration of services which I believe is necessary to achieve the highest level of patient care. This model would be well served to be implemented into pre-existing neighborhood communities, where services are integrated directly into the community itself.
