Key
Partners Step Up To Improve Access
For low-income
and uninsured women in California, it just got a lot harder to get a
recommended yearly screen for breast cancer. As a result of the state
budget crisis, a temporary freeze has halted nearly all state-funded mammograms
for the next six months. When the freeze is over, state-funding for
mammograms will resume, but only for women over age 50-- a controversial change
based on new guidelines that are not supported by many of the expert panels on
the subject.
At LACHC, strategic agency partnerships are
keeping our breast cancer screening program going strong despite the state
crisis. We were blessed this month to receive funding from National Breast
Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to bring on a Patient Navigator at our Joshua House
site in Skid Row, so that we will now have a full-time staff person
dedicated to helping patients access specialty care and diagnostic testing--
including mammography. The Patient Navigator is truly a critical part of
linking women to mammograms-- by providing education and
encouragement, helping patients overcome barriers, and taking care of
communication with the mammography center (by arranging the appointment
and ensuring that results are obtained). And a local mammography center stepped up to provide
access to appointments for these life saving screenings. We thank our many key partners
for their key contributions as we all work toward healthier communities!
By Dr. Lisa Abdishoo, Chief Medical Officer
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The Difference Healthcare Access Makes
As a result of not having access to healthcare,
Julia (not her real name) first came to us in 2006 without knowing her medical history. She was not aware of having any
diseases or ailments. After a visit with our Medical Outreach team at one of our
satellite clinics, Julia, who is deaf and mute, was diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, a heart disorder and
arthritis.
Today Julia has her chronic diseases under control, without any hospital visits due to
difficulty breathing or diabetic complications. We communicate with Julia through facial expressions, gestures and in writing. Although her visits take longer, it is our goal to always make
sure Julia feels heard in a world where she is
often misunderstood and unheard.
It is a pleasure
seeing Julia having a better quality of life. Her inability to speak
cannot hide her gratitude for having a place where she
can come and be heard. It's written all over her smile.
Ruthie Yamada, PA-C, Susana Silva
& Robert Salcedo: 1of 3 Medical Outreach teams
Julia is just one of the many individuals our Medical Outreach Project (MOP) has served this year; the teams
provided 6,000 patient visits at our four outreach clinics in the Skid Row and
Boyle Heights communities!
In 2010, we are adding an additional team and are planning to open new
clinics in Boyle Heights, Downtown and Santa Fe Springs. Please pray for us as we continue to expand.
By Steve Flores, Community Outreach Director
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