Health care clinic opens doors to those in need

Health care delivery, or non-delivery, continues to be on the forefront of discussion. Whether it's debated in the halls of Congress or in physician waiting rooms, health care impacts everyone at some point in their lives-no matter what the state of their health.

Addressing those massive concerns has been a years-long debate and while there are no major changes on the horizon, the ball started rolling on the local front with a $1.6 million Community Access Grant awarded to the Idaho Panhandle.

That grant motivated the regional healthcare community in taking a vital first step in "filling the gap" of providing health care to those people who are either uninsured or severely underinsured.

In 2003, the Bonner Partners in Care Clinic opened its doors and with almost two years under its belt and many volunteer hours, the clinic has served more than 350 people in meeting many of their health care needs.

With the vast coverage of programs geared toward taking care of the young, the gap in health care delivery is more commonly experienced with the adult population. It's not just the "working poor", but people who can no longer afford health care premiums, or have employers who cannot financially provide the group coverage.

Lora Cartelli is the very busy clinic coordinator and holds the only paid position within the organization. She works on a part-time basis with a board of directors overseeing the fiscal and operational management, and a volunteer team of physicians, nurses and support people who regularly staff the clinic.

The volunteers include 11 of our community physicians, several mid-level practitioners and 13 nurses as well as clerical support staff. On a rotating basis, they volunteer at least two hours every two months, and they are always on the look-out for additional people who want to assist with the success of the program.

Lora Cartelli emphasizes that the clinic is not an emergency department or urgent care. "It is a clinic that focuses on the management and prevention of chronic disease."

On a typical evening, the clinic receives about 8 to 10 patients (although as many as 15 may show up for service), and care focuses on many of the common health problems that may otherwise get ignored. Their usual mix of problems may include colds, earaches, high blood pressure, diabetes and gastro-intestinal problems. When managed early enough in the disease process, the patient can manage or even prevent more serious problems down the road.

According to Cartelli, "many of our patients are hard-working people who work 40-plus hours and do not make a living wage. They're a proud people who have silently gone without medical care." Clinic volunteers are beginning to see a new population of people who have not traditionally used clinic services. "These are professional people who may be sitting next to you at church or live down the street. They are the ones who had policies for many years, but can no longer afford the premiums. Any one of us could be them, with one medical crisis or financial mishap."

Recognizing the problems of health care access, the medical community has joined together to narrow the gap and improve accessibility of health care.

The Sandpoint Panhandle Health District Office has donated the room space, Bonner General Hospital provides up to 17 diagnostic lab screenings, and with the volunteer service provided by area health care professionals and private individuals, the Bonner Partners Care Clinic has been a valuable medical resource to this ever-widening group of people.

The clinic is in dire need of opening an another evening and acquiring its own physical space with additional medical providers, a second evening can become a reality. We are also hoping someone out there has some extra space and needs a tax donation. We will be happy to move in, Cartelli said.

The most visible part of clinic operation is treatment night which is every Tuesday evening from 5:30-8 p.m., but the clinic is actually operational three to four days a week. Every Thursday afternoon, volunteer, Jane Clark, helps individuals access free medications through the pharmaceutical assistance programs and more than 150 people have been helped with this program. Mondays and Wednesdays are devoted to patient case guidance which is helping patients access other resources in the community.

The Bonner Partners in Care Clinic is located in the Panhandle Health District building at 1020 Michigan Avenue, Sandpoint. Their Tuesday evening hours are from 5:30-8 p.m., but they encourage patients to arrive early for registration.

With the continued teamwork among providers like Bonner General Hospital, Panhandle Health District, physicians, physician-specialists, nurses and private individuals, the clinic will remain a vital link to the continuity of care each individual deserves.

"It's a win-win situation for everyone", says Cartelli. "We help the person who hasn't seen a doctor for 10 years. We help to relieve the burden of hospital emergency departments. We save the taxpayers money, and we feel good about donating our professional services to those who need it. It's a way of giving back to the community."

For more information on the Bonner Partners in Care Clinic, you can call Lora Cartelli, at 255-9099.