How One High Desert Community Clinic is Overcoming COVID-19’s Impact
“If COVID has taken one thing away from us, it has definitely been our home,” Charlotte Richardson, 29, of Palmdale, CA, expressed concerning the direct impact Covid-19 has on her life. For many, this may be a familiar experience they are undergoing due to the impact. Through many failed attempts at trying to get people to share their own personal experiences with this pandemic, there is one thing they all have in common: they require help.
The Antelope Valley is made up of three neighboring cities: Lancaster, Palmdale, and Quartz Hill- with an estimated population of 475,000 people. Many people in this community come from all backgrounds, but the vast majority comprises of low-income socioeconomic households. These communities make up the majority of those that are uninsured in this community or need access to resources beyond healthcare. However, community clinics like Bartz-Altadonna are making strides and many efforts to help those that identify with these demographics in this pandemic.
While many people were not comfortable sharing their experience through this pandemic, five people felt compelled to tell their stories on how Bartz has been of substantial help during these trying times. To protect each person’s identity due to HIPAA regulations, each patient was not asked to take a picture but share their name and age.
Charlotte Richardson, 29: — “This pandemic has impacted my family in a lot of ways, but if COVID has taken one thing away from us, it has definitely been our home. The nurses ask questions related to your living conditions, so I was honest about our current situation, and they connected me to people who could help us get some sort of housing. They help women like me with children secure somewhere to stay with all of this stuff going on.”
Organizations such as ‘Project Room key’ and ‘Valley Oasis,’ which is the particular organization Richardson was referring to, have helped many people who may be homeless, low income, or in abusive situations secure housing while they get back on their feet.
Jose Gutierrez, 42: — “I did not have insurance because I was not born here in the states. But Ms. Alma [a program enrollment specialist] helped me get covered through My Health LA, and it has been covering all my [medical] visits and pay for my medications.”
Jessica Camacho, 22: — “This pandemic has made me so nervous to leave my house because I get terrible anxiety. I like that Bartz is offering [phone consults] instead of having me come in for every appointment because it lowers my chances of being in contact with someone who might have COVID. I only have to come in to give blood work, but all of my follow-up appointments are over the phone, so I really like that.”
Andrew Garcia, 19: — “One thing that has stood out to me is how this office does the screening process. They have us answer all of the traveling questions outside through a huge monitor before we come in then take our temperatures. I feel that doing it this way is making it easier to catch anyone that may have [COVID symptoms] so they won’t come in contact with anyone else that’s in the clinic.”
Nikia Thomas, 31: — “I moved from Santa Barbara during the summer and originally came to this clinic for my son’s doctor’s appointment because he was assigned here. I loved how the staff interacted with my family and decided I wanted to make [Bartz]my primary care facility. They were able to switch my insurance, and have been able to expedite my referrals for my pain management so that I am able to continue my treatment now that I live here.”
Richard Sims, 26: — “I haven’t had insurance for a long time because I was always scared that [the insurance] would not cover all of my [medical care]. When I came to my appointment they were able to enroll me into a program that covers me and I do not have to pay for anything.”
Because Bartz-Altadonna is a federally funded clinic under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the facility is able to offer programs in which Sims referred to such as the Sliding Fee Scale. The sliding Fee Scale is comprised of how much a patient’s family house-hold income receives which will determine how much a patient could possibly pay for each visit. Insurance copays can be very expensive for a lot of patients but programs like this one allow many to have access to affordable healthcare. With the pandemic affecting many people in so many ways, health care access can become the least of many patient’s worries.
The ways in which COVID-19 has affected many have been detrimental, to say the least. Healthcare and it’s access to it has been the most impacted during this time. Facilities such as Bartz-Altadonna do not only strive to connect the patients to healthcare services, the company strives to reach out to all of the needs of the community.
What are ways your own community can share information that helps people gain access to healthcare and other needed resources? Let me know on the survey down below!
