The theme song of “Cheers”, the television hit comedy of the early ‘90s, resonated with neighborhood locals across the nation. The lyrics reminded people of belonging, of being at home. “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”

That same longing to be “where everybody knows your name” is experienced by many in southern California looking for a medical home. Southlanders with limited access to primary care include not only the uninsured, but also the underinsured — small business, part-time and service industry workers who have rising health insurance premiums, high deductibles or co-pays.

As access to care becomes more difficult, many patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease delay important check-ups, causing them to utilize Providence Little Company of Mary emergency rooms in San Pedro and Torrance when they develop disease-related symptoms they can no longer ignore.

 
Easier Access, Lower Cost
Thanks to the foresight and generosity of The Vasek and Anna Maria Polak Charitable Foundation, Inc., Providence Little Company of Mary opened the Vasek Polak Health Clinic in Hawthorne in December 2007.

Jim Tehan, director of community health for Providence Little Company of Mary, anticipates that many in the Hawthorne community will begin to see the clinic as their medical home, alleviating some of the stress on the ever-more-crowded emergency rooms. The clinic does not accept insurance; instead charges a cash-only $50 fee, with an additional $40 if lab work and x-rays are necessary.

Dr. David Amin, clinic medical director, sees the benefits. “Almost every day, three to five patients without insurance are being referred to us by the Providence Little Company emergency rooms,” says Amin. “People become connected to us — a medical provider that can be a constant for them.”

Education and Support
“We have already seen a dozen patients graduate from our diabetes education class,” continues Amin. “People get the support they need to start eating the right foods which gets their blood sugar under control. This has an immediate impact on decreasing the number of people who would otherwise end up in local emergency rooms.”

Rafael Garcia, clinic outreach specialist, leads the diabetes education classes after training at Stanford University. Garcia’s other focus is community outreach — and it is working! Monthly patient visits to the clinic number 300, including 160 new patients every month who have now found their medical home.

The Vasek Polak Health Clinic is located at 13355 Hawthorne Blvd., Hawthorne, CA. (310) 355-0100

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