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HIV Care at LACHC
Manda Robinson, PA-C is LACHC's "HIV Champion", meaning she
is our clinic expert on HIV care. Manda participated in a HIV mini-fellowship
in 2008 through the USC Pacific Aids Training and Education Center and takes
part in ongoing training with HIV providers at LAC/USC. Manda graduated from
USC Keck School of Medicine's Primary Care Physician Assistant Program and has
worked the last three years at LACHC.
Manda recalls one of her patients (name changed):
I first met Don in June 2008 when one of my colleagues referred
him to me for HIV care. Don's routine HIV test had come back positive, quite
unexpectedly, and he was very anxious that his death was imminent. After much
reassurance that he was likely not facing immediate demise, he voiced his
concerns that he would never be healthy again. As we talked more, it was
apparent many of Don's fears had been instilled by a family member, a
health educator, who impressed upon him the inevitable poor health he would
experience and why he needed to start medications as
soon as possible. Don's lab tests later confirmed my original counseling - he was
in good health with no urgent need to start medication. We continue to
work together on maintaining his health, which includes updating his
vaccinations, monitoring for infectious complications, lifestyle counseling and
regular blood tests to check his immune system and virus levels. Don knows that
we will keep supporting him when the time comes to start medications.
Capacity-building grants from the federal government and
funds raised through the Handle with Care event allow LACHC to offer patients
like Don, the ability to integrate HIV care with the primary care they receive
at their already established medical home.
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Pharmacy Services Coming to Pico Aliso Clinic
LACHC welcomes Coco Cook, PharmD! Dr. Cook has been a
pharmacist for over 30 years; she decided to work with LACHC because God called
her back to serve Him by serving His people. She says, "I'm so happy to be working
where I'm needed and with true believers who work in the spirit of
the Lord. How blessed I am".
As our Pharmacy Director, Dr. Cook is leading the charge
toward transforming our small supply of over-the-counter medications into a
full-fledged pharmacy. (Previously, patients were given prescriptions to be
filled at outside locations.) By establishing pharmacy services at our
Pico Aliso clinic we will (1) increase access to affordable medications, (2)
utilize best business practices to ensure financial and operational
efficiencies, and (3) utilize pharmacists in clinical management of chronic
disease states like diabetes and hypertension along with the traditional
dispensing role. The pharmacy will serve the diverse needs of our
public housing and homeless patients, removing substantial barriers to
receiving medications while improving patient adherence to medication treatment
plans by improving individualized quality of education and counseling services.
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