Care Coordination is at the heart of what we do at Project Access Northwest. This month we're taking a closer look at the Outpatient Procedure Clinic — a vision turned reality that is a win-win for both patients and medical students.
Meet the Outpatient Procedure Clinic Team
“Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” —George Washington Carver
In early 2016, Dr. Nancy Foote and Dr. Chris Leininger recognized a need in their community: increased access to dermatology services for uninsured/underinsured patients.
At the time, Dr. Leininger was already working with the Swedish First Hill residency clinic, so he was familiar with the work of Project Access Northwest and its Care Coordination team.
He and Dr. Foote reached out to Project Access Northwest to explore ways to increase access to dermatology care — and the Outpatient Procedure Clinic was born!
Today the clinic operates out of the Swedish Family Medicine – First Hill site on a morning, bi-weekly schedule. Patients can be referred by their primary care providers, and care coordinators at Project Access Northwest will get them scheduled for appointments.
The Outpatient Procedure Clinic offers a wide variety of services, including lesion removal, skin checks, IUD removal and insertion, skin biopsies and lipoma removal. With oversight from Dr. Leininger and Dr. Foote, patients receive exquisite care from the Swedish residents, including follow-up appointments and much-needed referrals to other specialists.
“This clinic is a win-win all the way around,” says Andrea Castell, RN, Project Access Northwest operations nurse. “The Swedish family practice residents benefit from the many experiences of Dr. Foote and Dr. Leininger, and the patients benefit from the kindness, skill and talents of all of the doctors and nurses involved. It is a joy to see this clinic in action.”
Over 525 patients have been seen through this program, and we are proud to continue this collaboration to serve the ongoing needs of the community.