The Pulse - The People's Health Clinic

May 2012

Greetings!

The People's Health Clinic is blessed by many clinical volunteers - they regularly check patients in, draw blood for diagnostic testing, and help keep things moving and on schedule.

And we have a wonderful roster of doctors, physician's assistants and nurse practitioners who treat patients with great skill and care. We need more! Local people have been finding and visiting the Clinic in numbers that increase 20 - 30% each year for as far back as we can remember. It's our challenge to keep up with that growth.

If you are a medical provider, join us. A few hours a month or week can make a big difference in our ability to care, and you'll be so gratified that you found us too.
Visit our webpage (link below) to read more.

Thanks -

Executive Director

Click here to Register Now!

Taking it to the streets, churches, stores, etc...

Dr. Bud Keye prepares to check a visitor's blood glucose level.

Last Saturday morning - 7:30 a.m. - saw one staff member and five volunteers geared up to perform diabetes and blood pressure screenings on unsuspecting shoppers at the PC Community church's gigantic annual garage sale. We met lots of new folks and referred quite a few for followup visits. Also had the chance to tell many people about the Clinic's work.

May's Volunteer of the Month, Interpreter Michele Courderc, loves to help at Outreach Screenings: "The screenings let people have checkups in familiar settings - it's non-threatening and easy. They may have a chronic illness and not have any symptoms - often the uninsured don't make an appointment until things are really bad. Especially in our Latino community, diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure are so prevalent - it's great that our Spanish-speaking professionals can give of their time and knowledge here at the Clinic to see the patients who have been referred for followup."

Electronic Health Records System Goes LIVE

Since the beginning of May, patients have seen the new system at work when checking in at the reception desk or making appointments. The staff has been trained and is learning "in real time" to enter the data which will help us serve patients better.

A few of the benefits at this stage: new electronic patient files are being prepared to begin use of the alerts and reminders the software provides during each patient contact. The new patient summary data we are gathering will make it easier for the Clinic to apply for and receive grant funding.

The new system, generously donated by ManagementPlus, is being phased in over time. Next it will be employed by the Clinic's two staff doctors, Medical Director Dr. Bob Pellegrine and Dr. John Hanrahan, in their daily visits with patients. Then it will be introduced to volunteer providers.

A note of thanks: The Clinic has benefitted in the past from a patient record system developed in Filemaker by Dr. Gary Sharp, longtime volunteer obstetrician, for the prenatal program. For years, that program tracked the progress of mother and baby through pregnancy, and was so valued by Clinic nurse midwives. Thanks Gary!

Read more about the benefits of this donation from

Volunteer Coordinator Patti Peters and Medical Receptionist Angelica Espinoza record new patient information.

Staff Development

Well done! PHC Event Director Jenny Dorsey recently completed the University of Utah's Nonprofit Academy for Excellence completed and was awarded the Professional Certificate in Leadership and Managment. Jenny really enjoyed the opportunity to expand her knowledge of nonprofit management and spending time with other nonprofit professionals.

Food for Thought