Clinics’ Corner, Winter 2009 |
|
Federal grant funds new Central City Concern medical facilityWith a nod of recognition to the medical home model of care, President Obama has authorized federal stimulus funds to boost the capacity of medical centers serving the urban poor. Portland Central City Concern, which is piloting the medical home model as part of CareOregon’s Primary Care Renewal program, is one of the clinics receiving a grant. Central City will use the $8.9 million to convert the old Burger King restaurant on Broadway, near its Old Town Clinic, to a one-stop medical center. According to The Oregonian’s report of the grant, the stimulus funds specifically target the medical home model. It quotes President Obama: “It's a model where the center that serves as your medical home might help you keep track of your prescriptions, or get the referrals you need, or work with you to develop a plan of care that ensures your providers are working together to keep you healthy.” This story was reported in The Oregonian and other publications. Link to these stories from the Central City Concern web site. Salem Health starts fund to help uninsured and underinsuredA new fund has been launched to help organizations that provide health care to residents of Salem and surrounding areas who lack adequate insurance coverage. In 2010, as much as $200,000 may be available in in-kind donations and cash contributions from the fund, which is being set up by Salem Health, the parent corporation of Salem Hospital. Among the organizations that could be eligible to seek funding are the Salem Free Medical Clinic, Northwest Human Services and programs such as Project Access and Med Assist supported by the Marion-Polk County Medical Society. The Statesman Journal reported this story. Outside In grant targets HIV prevention Outside In, the Cascade AIDS Project and the African American AIDS Action Awareness Alliance have been jointly awarded a grant of $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for technology-based HIV prevention education for at-risk minority youths. The funds will help the organizations launch peer-to-peer education programs. Portland is one of 10 cities to get the grant from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health. Although it has a much smaller minority population than the other cities awarded, it has a large population of homeless teens. About one third of Oregonians with HIV/AIDS contracted the virus when under the age of 30. The grant will help fund Curbing HIV/AIDS Transmission Among High Risk Minority Youth and Adolescents (CHAT-PDX), a program that relies on peer education and new media to reach targeted youth. See The Oregonian’s report of the grant, or the Cascade AIDS Project’s press release. In-home diabetes training for the newly diagnosed Byram Healthcare, a provider of diabetis supplies, is piloting a project to provide in-home education and training on glucose equipment. This program is offered free to people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes and live within 50 miles of Byram Healthcare’s Portland office. The purpose of the training is to reinforce the prescribed testing regimen and ensure patients are comfortable with glucose testing equipment. For more information about the project, call Mike Cummings at 1-800-678-0707, ext. 55052, or 503-734-6666. You may also e-mail him at mcumming@byramhealthcare.com. Welcome new providers
|
Virginia Garcia named one of top 15 nonprofitsThe Portland Business Journal has recognized Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center as one of the top 15 nonprofits in the Portland Metro area. According to The Oregonian, Virginia Garcia has been meeting the health care concerns of its largely Latino clientele even as the need continues to grow. Virginia Garcia is an important provider of care for CareOregon members in Washington County. Its Cornelius clinic is home to one of the pilot medical home teams organized under CareOregon’s Primary Care Renewal program. For more information, see The Oregonian story. After nearly two decades, the Oregon Health Forum has closed its doors for the final time. The organization announced its closure in a Nov. 30 e-mail to subscribers. In addition to its well attended forums on health care subjects, Oregon Health Forum also published Oregon Health News, a newsletter on the health care system. Recently the publication was only available in an online version. Its advertising-free content was supported by subscriptions and sponsorships in the health care industry. In the announcement of its closure, Oregon Health Forum reported, “The economic recession resulted in a decline in event sponsorships and subscriptions, a loss which the organization was unable to overcome.” |
 |  |
