Grant Park Clinic

Safety Net Clinics

2011-08-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

Driving in to work today, I reflected on the demands put upon our little clinic. Not only do I see a full load of patients, but I have the somewhat dubious joy of writing grants, entering data and keeping statistics for those grants, and then writing up reports about just how well we did or didn't do with regard to patient outcomes. I understand the need for outcomes driven healthcare. After all everyone who pays for healthcare wants to make sure the health care is worth the money it costs.

However, having worked in a private family practice, I know that private physicians do not have these same rigorous demands put upon them. Patients come in, assessments are made, and treatments provided. The physician isn't expected to show that he or she changed patient behaviors.

In spite of my frustrations with the demands of grant funding, etc. I love the work I do with patients. Further, I was happy to get to work this morning and see my email inbox had someone who was giving credit to all the "Safety Net" clinics like Grant Park Clinic for the work they do. Here is that link to read more!

Safety Net Providers Key to Healthcare System

NP's Fill the Gap

2010-06-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

It's always intriguing to me to see the buzz that the new healthcare reform initiative is generating. Indeed, we already know that there are not enough primary care providers to go around -- for a number of reasons. Just a couple of reasons are that insurance reimbursements are getting smaller, and physicians can earn more money to pay for exorbitant education costs by specializing. So what will it mean when several more millions of people are looking for a primary care provider? Well, it might mean ALL OF US wait longer to get an appointment. It might mean SOME OF US still don't get in if doctors close their panels to insurance, Medicaid or Medicare.

On the other hand, a real positive might be that Nurse Practitioners may fill the gap for patients who try to access the system and don't already have a primary care provider. Many, many practices rely heavily on Nurse Practitioner's years of experience, wisdom and expertise. For example, at Grant Park Clinic, I fill many roles working with obstetricians and internal medicine physicians to care for the routine medical needs many patients present with at the clinic. Do you know what a Nurse Practitioner is? If not click on the following link to learn more! What's a Nurse Practitioner http://www.aanp.org/NR/rdonlyres/FE00E81B-FA96-4779-972B-6162F04C309F/0/Standards_of_Practice112907.pdf

Brains on the Bread

2010-05-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

In primary care, things get old. Yes, for all of you out there who think that you've got the thickest, yellowest, most deteriorated toenails as a result of your nail fungus----there is someone else whose got you beat. We see this stuff day in and day out. Day in and day out, we see runny noses, strep throats, belly aches, fast hearts, slow hearts, nervous people, depressed people, worrying people, vomiting bellies, diarrhea from below, aching bodies, sore feet, hurting backs, painful bladders, hot appendices, galling gallbladders, high sugar, low sugar, people worried they are too fat or too skinny. Day in and day out.

So, how do doctors and nurse practitioners and physicians assistants manage to keep their cool and not fry their own brains, serve it on a piece of bread and eat themselves alive? Well, we get to that point at times, but this weekend was a renewal for me. Mauricio Chenlo of Mennonite Mission Network, and Marco Guete of Southeast Mennonite Conference came to visit us at Berea Mennonite Church on the day of Pentecost. What a blessing and time of renewal for us as we focused on the Holy Spirit's work among Christians and how that empowers us to move forward, not in our strength but in the strength that God provides. And that was enough to return to the clinic today refreshed ready to listen to each patient individually, ready to be open to helping with both physical and spiritual concerns. But most of all, for me it was a readiness to see where God was already working today, quite independently of me, and where I can join in His work. The stress was gone--I put my brain back into my head and took it off of the bread--and the peace of God descended.

The Blessing of Normalcy

2010-05-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

I just watched Julia & Julie (finally) and was challenged about using a blog to share more of what being a Nurse Practitioner at Grant Park Clinic is like. Today was ultrasound day--and it was good today. There were no problems with too big babies, too little babies, or too anything babies. That's a good day when we have normal babies. In today's world, when we too often want the exciting, the unusual or the challenging, we forget that just living a good, normal and uneventful day is a blessing in disguise. So, today I count my blessings and give thanks to God for the miracle of normalcy, in which babies are growing healthy and strong and a day of delight in which I was able to bear only good news to happy and hopeful mothers and fathers to be.

2010-02-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Grant Park Clinic wishes to thank Radio One and Pastor Jose Santana Adames of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral of Austell, Georgia for allowing us to participate in their Health Fair! We were able to reach about 100 persons with diabetes screenings and we also referred several persons to either their family physicians, or to Grant Park Clinic because they were uninsured. Well over 200 persons stopped by the table to ask for further information on the clinic. It is our privilege to serve those without insurance!! Grant Park Clinic is looking for several more health fairs to attend over the next year in outreach to the Hispanic community here in metropolitan Atlanta. So if you are aware of any opportunities, please let us know the when and where!!