There’s No “I” in Healthcare

Walking into my host site on the first day, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I came into my service term ready and determined to enact positive change and learn about a new community’s reality of the health care system. In Pre-Service Orientation we learned about disparities in the health care system and in the city of Philadelphia. We also learned about how health centers employ many different health professionals who work together with patients to establish holistic care with the hopes of addressing these disparities.

_{http://www.healthinaging.org/objects/object:test/}

This integrative method has the potential to give traditionally underserved populations a group of providers and healthcare workers who are caring for them like a family unit. It is not uncommon for many individuals living in these communities to lack a traditional family structure, with supportive parents, grandparents, or other relatives. It is our hope that such a concept applied to a healthcare setting will offer patients the care and support that they may be missing at home.

My host site’s patient population includes many people who have been victims of trauma at one point in their lives. During our training about trauma, we learned that those who have experienced trauma are more likely to be untrusting of others. Having a health center provide comprehensive health care all at one location, and potentially all at one time, can be comforting to patients, especially those who have experienced trauma. It can be difficult for patients to have experienced trauma to connect with new people or places. Therefore, having a center where their healthcare can be interconnected, has the potential to decrease a patient’s anxiety or discomfort. Every healthcare worker helping a patient has the chance to interact, access, and help patients in accordance with their medical specialty, with this comprehensive health care approach.

At my host site, this concept of integrated medicine is taken very seriously. There are three separate clinics: a dental clinic, a behavioral health clinic, and a primary care clinic. While they are well integrated, they remain their own independent entities. At each clinic, many healthcare staff work closely together. Employees here strive to perform “warm-handoffs” to other workers to make operations run fluidly and smoothly. Healthcare workers at this site make it a priority to physically introduce their patients to many members of the healthcare team, which is called a “warm-handoff” to uphold the continuity of care in a patient’s office visit.

When I first came to the clinic, I had the opportunity to meet each part of the integrated healthcare team. I was introduced to the front desk staff, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, and other rotating specialists, which were just a few of the many medical and healthcare professionals connected with a patient’s visit. Behavioral health consultants (BHC) are one vital part of the team; they work closely with the nurse practitioners and our patients in the primary care clinic. They can provide support through ongoing short counselling sessions or immediate care for patient in need of mental health support. With the growing need for these services, especially acute mental health care, the BHC play a vital role in our clinic and in this community. In addition to the BHC, patients may consult with the nutritionist, who can help patients make positive strides towards healthy eating and living. The nutritionist offers many outside classes that provide supportive group environments and positive outcomes. Patients participating in group classes can collectively work together to reach their nutritional individual goals. We have a Mind Body Educator who works with patients by providing massage, meditation, and relaxation services. Finally, a social worker, a legal team, many patient advocates, and an outreach and enrollment team provide patients with a large variety of resources and benefits with the purpose of enabling patients to receive quality comprehensive care. As an AmeriCorps member, I am part of the outreach and enrollment team and work closely with patients, developing trusting relationships that allow me to connect patients with the resources they need.

Despite occasional long patient visits and minor workflow issues, I believe this integrated medical home provides a safe, comprehensive environment for our patients and community members. From my experience, I see that members of this community who become our patients have many roles, barriers, and responsibilities that may prevent them from having the time to take proper care of themselves or to assess the resources they need. In a medical community like my host site, I believe we are making strides forward by helping members of disadvantaged communities gain adequate physical and mental care.
 

This blog post was written by NHC Philadelphia member Lauren Finch.
Lauren serves as a Health & Benefits Advocate at Family Practice & Counseling Network Abbottsford Falls.