Project Access NOW eNewsletter: July 2008 |
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Hello,
and welcome! You are reading the first issue of the Project Access NOW electronic newsletter, developed in collaboration with Peter Korchnak of Semiosis Communications. With your support, Project Access NOW has made great strides in connecting the uninsured in the Portland metro area to health care, and we'd like this publication to keep you informed about our joint progress.
As of July 1, we have taken responsibility for our financial records. We are extremely thankful
to the United Way of the Columbia Willamette for supporting us during our formative stages. Through June, 78 patients have been enrolled regionally in
Project Access NOW and about 50 were in the process of qualifying. More than 1,700 physicians are volunteering with us.
We are only beginning to improve access to care and
ultimately the health in our community. My hope is that the community that has made
Project Access NOW a reality (that would be you) will also grow in
numbers, coordination, strength and shared vision. Thank you for
connecting people to health care. Today.
Happy reading!
Linda Nilsen-Solares
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The Pharmacy Bridge is in business!
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We are proud to announce the first-month anniversary of the Pharmacy Bridge program. Thanks to the generosity of Providence Health Plan, Project Access patients can now get basic medications from a mostly generic formulary for a $4 co-pay. The Pharmacy Bridge allows volunteers to
prescribe medications just as they would for insured patients and
allows patients to access these medications through participating
pharmacies just as if they had health insurance. We aim to make theis pharmacy infrastructure available to all safety net
clinics throughout the region.
Please welcome Margaret Lamb as the program's Pharmacy Resource Specialist. Margaret will be in charge of our databases and she will be assisting patients with their medication needs. She will
be the Project Access contact for care coordinators, volunteer providers, volunteer pharmacists, and participating pharmacies.
The Pharmacy Bridge provides a regional
resource for access to medication for low-income, uninsured people,
including Project Access patients. Individuals enrolled in Project
Access can fill their prescriptions
at local pharmacies from a limited generic formulary. The
Pharmacy Bridge
provides access to many common medications for a limited amount of
time. Pharmacy Bridge is a collaboration between Project Access NOW and Providence Health Plans
Read more about Pharmacy Bridge.
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Project Access NOW connects |
by Jerry Rhodes, CareOregon
 Without Project Access, finding
all the specialists and services for Kerrie Hubbard's cancer treatment
would have been difficult to coordinate, even if she'd had enough
insurance to cover the $150,000 of care. With Project Access, Kerrie's
care was coordinated by the Project Access team, and she was linked
with Dr. Katherine Morris, surgical oncologist.
"I love Dr. Kate. Everyone
should be so lucky to have a doctor like her if they have to go through
something as horrible as cancer," Kerrie says. "I have been very
blessed."
And Project Access? "It's a great program,"
Kerrie says. "I don't know where I'd be without them."
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by Maileen Hamto, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
By supporting Project Access Now, the United Way of the
Columbia-Willamette (UWCW) advances the common good by focusing on the basics
our community needs for a good life: education, income and health. Access to health care is of primary importance in our area, where some 314,000 people are uninsured. UWCW committed $75,000 to the regional
effort that includes a network of major hospital systems, safety net
clinics and volunteer physicians who provide primary care access for
low-income families and individuals. UWCW also provided $20,000 to each
county-led initiative, as well as offered technical and marketing
assistance. Project Access Now's focus on collaboration, volunteerism
and providing measurable outcomes aligns with United Way's mission to
help people and change lives.
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Project Access Clark County announces full program launch |
by Kimberley Meinert, Free Clinic of SW Washington
 July 1, 2008 marks
the first day of full program launch for Project Access Clark County
(PACC). After a successful four-month pilot program that fielded
over 55 patient referrals from three safety net clinics, PACC is
ready to open its doors to receive referrals from the rest of the
Clark County health care community.
"Our pilot
program was a perfect time to iron out any glitches in the system
before going full tilt," said Marti Anne Gilman, PACC Patient Care
Coordinator. "We worked with Sea Mar Community Health Center, New
Heights Clinic, and NARA Clinic on pilot program referrals, and now
that's we've fully launched, we're accepting referrals from
Free Clinic of Southwest Washington and other clinics that care for
the low-income uninsured."
Project Access
Clark County is proud to become the fifth county in Washington State
to implement the Project Access model, and is pleased to work in
cooperation with Project Access NOW.
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The Vancouver Clinic signs with Project Access Clark County
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by Kimberley Meinert, Free Clinic of SW Washington
Project Access
Clark County (PACC) is excited to announce The Vancouver Clinic as
its newest partner in efficiently coordinated donated medical care.
The Vancouver Clinic is the largest multispecialty clinic in Clark
County, and houses approximately sixty percent of the county's
medical subspecialties.
"This an
incredible partnership," said Dr. Sally Williams, Infectious
Disease specialist at The Vancouver Clinic, and member of the PACC
Steering Committee. "With The Vancouver Clinic joining the rest of
the medical community in donating specialty services to Project
Access, we can confidently ensure access to care for the low-income
uninsured in our county."
The Vancouver Clinic joins PACC along
with more than 22 other physician groups, clinics, and hospitals.
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Project Access NOW listserv is ready to serve |
You will shortly receive an invitation to sign up for the new Project Access NOW listserv. The listserv, set up through Google Groups, will be an extension of our website and e-newsletter, allowing for two-way communication with the Project Access community. You'll be able to post messages and questions, discuss topics, and upload files to share with other members... Everything Project Access-related will be there! Just follow the easy steps in the invitation email and you're done. We look forward to having you join us!
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Project Access Washington County reports on accomplishments
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by Katie Ulin, Project Access Washington
County
Here's what we've accomplished in our first three months:
- 35 patients have been
enrolled in Project Access Washington County (PAWC).
- 8 patients are waiting to
be approved pending additional documentation.
- 25 additional patients have
been referred to the program, and we are waiting on their completed
applications.
- 6 patients have been referred
back to Virginia Garcia to better meet their more complex primary care
needs.
- 15 patients have been denied
due to eligibility (inappropriate referral, did not respond to requests
for info, over-income or did not meet residency requirement).
- 1 patient has had his enrollment
revoked for non-compliance.
- That's over 90 referrals
to PAWC from Essential Health Clinic in our first 3 months!
- 20 patients have had an initial
appointment with a provider.
- 6 patients have completed
their course of treatment.
- Surgical Associates has
made a commitment to Project Access! All surgeons at three locations, including two in Washington County, will take a limited
number of surgical referrals per year.
- New referrals should start coming soon from Virginia Garcia's Cornelius clinic.
Our goals for next month:
- Process minimum of 25 new
patient referrals to PAWC from the Essential
Health Clinic.
- Begin to enroll Virginia Garcia Cornelius
patients.
- Design reports for
Project Access database to minimize time for patient enrollment
packet and provider follow-up form.
- Research/conduct additional
PAWC recruitment for most needed specialties, including dermatology, urology, cardiology, and others.
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Project Access Multnomah County records successes
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by Dani Leis, Project Access Multnomah County
Project Access Multnomah County (PAMC) began
making referrals in March, 2008 and has since
enrolled over 70 patients, all of whom were referred
to medical sub-specialists. A repaired
hernia allowed a patient to go back to work, carpal tunnel surgery has
given a patient back the use of her hands, and that's just for starters. Patients throughout the program are receiving care that for some has
been postponed for years. Patients have expressed their gratitude
for the program, and especially for the volunteers, excited at the prospect
of a return to health, and for some, finally, a return to the workforce.
Alumni volunteers see a positive improvement
in the program. Now, when a patient needs services the doctor
can't provide, they find the patients are already approved to receive
ancillary services like labs, imaging, pharmacy, or hospital services. And they are even more pleased to find that these extra services are
coordinated. Dr. Katherine Morris, a surgical oncologist, had volunteered
with the old program, and commented on the new one, "Project Access allows
me to do what I trained to do: take care of patients. While most physicians
treat uninsured patients, doing so is challenging because they often
can't afford the medications we prescribe or the hospital based services
they need. This program overcomes these barriers, thereby enabling doctors
to concentrate on patient care."
Another volunteer, Dr. Kern Olson, our first clinical psychologist, said, "My experience
with a recent referral for behavioral health services was favorable
and appropriate. The patient was carefully selected and is responding
well to treatment. He is highly motivated and open to behavioral techniques
to help self manage a chronic condition. Overall, this has been a very
positive experience."
Dr. Morris agrees. "My experiences with the Project Access team and the patients have
been uniformly positive," she said. "Together we're helping fellow Oregonians
in a caring and efficient manner. While the government and others may
solve health care accessibility and affordability problems in the future,
many patients need help today, and Project Access is providing it."
These experiences have motivated these volunteers to increase their involvement. Dr. Morris has agreed to volunteer as
PAMC's first Medical Director, as well as see patients. Dr.
Olson has volunteered to help recruit mental health professionals in
the coming year.
Safety net clinic providers and staff
in Multnomah County are just as excited about this new program. Suzy Jeffreys, Clinic Manager for the North By Northeast Community Health
Center, came back from a regional clinic conference recently and said,
"What I suddenly realized from talking with free clinic managers and
coordinators [at the conference] is that we have a remarkably supportive,
cooperative and resourceful healthcare community in Multnomah County
and that many of the challenges faced by clinics in other cities are
met and overcome here by the availability of Project Access."
Yes Suzy, we have a wonderful healthcare community here, and now it
extends to our Project Access partners in Clark and Washington counties,
and Project Access NOW, as well as the
Providence, Legacy, OHSU and Kaiser health systems, the more than 1,700
physician volunteers, and the community safety net clinics, all of whom
help these patients on the road to better health. Project Access Multnomah
County is grateful to all our partners without whom this program would
not exist.
Here's to your health!
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Phone: 503.222.6541
Fax: 503.222.2932
Email
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