Rich Cannon, MD
Sandae Bonare, Certified Nurse Midwife
Shirley Wright

Volunteers make the Clinic run, from our beginning in a mobile van eleven years ago, to today!
We are very proud to recognize the work of all volunteers who collectively represent 22 medical specialties and
gave more than 6,800 hours to provide care to our neighbors.

When People’s Health started its mobile clinic in 2000, Martha sought help for her uncontrolled diabetes. But she didn’t follow the recommended diet or exercise advice until she lost the eyesight in one eye. It took Mariely Ferrer, Clinic Coodinator, telling her firmly but very kindly that only she could change the course of the disease, and that Mariely would help her. Martha took the 8-week individualized wellness class offered at the Clinic, and suddenly, according to her daughter Connie, she turned her life around.

“Before the classes, she could hardly walk. She made it around the apartment and that was about it. With the wellness classes, she started eating well and wanted us all to do the same. She’s lost the weight she needed to. She and my dad walk the track and work out 6 days a week at the Basin Rec Center. She’s a different person.”

Now Martha has disability insurance, which Clinic staff helped her secure. So she no longer visits People’s Health; she sees a doctor at The Park City Clinic. But her gratitude to this Clinic will continue forever.

“They say you can’t undo the horrible effects of diabetes. I know I won’t get my eyesight back. But I can move and enjoy life again, and hopefully stop the progression of this terrible disease. If we had tons of money, we would give it to the Clinic. Thank you.”

In addition to serving as the student body president, Chang represents Treasure Mountain Junior High on the Park City Education Foundation Board. Chang is also the President of the Youth Board for the People’s Health Clinic. She is being honored for her extensive work to build bridges among cultures and communities, which she outlined in a personal essay. 

In regard to her passion for the Clinic, Chang notes “The People’s Health Clinic offers health care to everyone in Summit County and Wasatch County who do not have access to health insurance. I think the People’s Health Clinic has built bridges among the diverse cultures and communities in the Park City area. It’s been an inspiration to me.”

On January 16, 2012, Chang will be a Marade (a march and parade) leader. Along with other dignitaries, Chang will lead the 1.3-mile walk from East High School to the Utah Presidents Circle. This is the 28th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. At 4:30 pm, Chang will be presented with her award at the Cultural Celebration in Kingsbury Hall.

by Julie Hooker, Advisor to the Treasure Mountain Junior High School Leadership class

A big change in patient care is coming to the People’s Health Clinic.  In December, Clinic Executive Director Nann Worel was excited to announce the donation of an Electronic Medical Records system by Management Plus.

The Clinic will use the software to further provide accurate and excellent care, thanks to the alerts and reminders the software provides during each patient contact.  Medical Director Dr. Bob Pellegrine, after a recent orientation offered by Management Plus, said, “The more I hear about the system, the more I see we’ll be able to do with it.”

Staff Doctor John Hanrahan anticipates a huge improvement in continuity of care.  “Right now, if a patient we have been treating comes in with an ear infection, we will immediately see the rest of his history. We might note, for example, that we recommended he see our volunteer ophthalmologist, and here are the results of that visit.”

“We’re seeing a lady now who has had anemia for 4 years.  It’s been assumed that she was iron deficient. When we rechecked her in November and she was anemic again, we started her on iron.  She came back 2 weeks ago, with same level of anemia.  Dr. Bob leafed through the entire chart and saw that we had yet to confirm the cause of her anemia, and with no improvement after taking iron, we now have to figure out what the cause really is.  With an Electronic Health Record, you have immediate easy access to all the labs. On one page every blood test is visible, and we would see that we hadn’t given the complete iron panel.   When you’ve got 4 patients in rooms waiting, it’s hard to look through 35 pages of a chart. “

And, with the Clinic relying on our wonderful volunteer medical providers, there is an even greater need to have the most complete information available to each doctor a patient sees.  Test results, medication changes, treatment changes, outside referrals – everything will be there.

The increased ability to gather and submit summary information on patients will also make it easier for PHC to apply for and receive additional grant funding in future seasons as well.

Over the course of 2012, the EHR, as it’s known, will become a bigger and bigger part of Clinic life.  Starting with administration, where it will be used in scheduling patients and keeping data on patient visits and demographics, it will move into Clinic use.  Staff doctors will learn the system, then introduce it to volunteers.  We’ll keep you updated on our progress.

Again, we thank ManagementPlus owner Christine Archibald for giving us this opportunity.  At an estimated cost of $140,000, it is a huge gift, and its impact of quality of life for our patients will be dramatic and ongoing.

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By the end of this week. our staff and volunteers will have had 8,400 visits with patients, many of whom would otherwise not have seen a doctor. This represents a 23% increase over last year, very similar to our growth rates over the past 5 years.  As we say each year, we’re glad more and more people are finding us.

Medical partnerships have increased, like the Clinic’s inclusion in Intermountain Health Care’s voucher program providing affordable diagnostic testing to low-income patients.

Expanded vision services have become a reality –
 

with monthly visits by Eye Care 4 Kids mobile vision unit. Now local teachers have an affordable place to refer those kids who really need glasses.

 New and veteran volunteers in an expanding number of specialties mean primary care docs can refer patients “in-house” for needs such as mental health counseling, physical therapy, and dermatology.

Thanks, and happy New Year!

There is always a need for medical providers from physician assistants to specialists. Primary care fills a great need. Interpreters are always being sought out. If you are a specialist and can’t make it to the clinic, making your office available to Clinic patients would be wonderful.

Having a cardiologist in the People’s Health Clinic network would be tremendous. All you need is the desire and a current Utah medical license. We will provide the rewarding feeling, the satisfied glow and the appreciative patients.

To work with the People’s Health Clinic, please contact patti@phcpc.org or call me for more information at 435-333-1879. And our heartfelt thanks to each and every volunteer who is currently making the Clinic such a valuable, viable jewel in this community.

In good health,

Patti Peters

Volunteer coordinator

Starting September 28, EyeCare4Kids, a Salt Lake nonprofit clinic, will come to Park City once a month to offer lowcost vision exams and glasses to local residents.  For as long as we’ve had patients wondering, “Can you help me get glasses?”, we’ve been waiting for this day to come!

 “We are thrilled to enter into this new partnership with EyeCare4Kids,” said Nann Worel, Executive Director of the People’s Health Clinic. “Our organizations share similar missions and the additional resources that EyeCare4Kids will bring to the vision services already available at the People’s Health Clinic will be invaluable to our patients.”

Read more here, or call (435) 333-1850 to inquire about an appointment.

The entire clinic staff, especially the rest of the Development team of part-timers Sarah Klingenstein, Jenny Dorsey and Terry Moffitt welcome Sheila and are enjoying their new work together.

Brooks Harbertson, chair of the Clinic’s Foundation Board, said that the goal of

hiring a Director now was to “take the wonderful things the Clinic does and sustain those efforts over the long term. We want the Clinic to be here, helping the community for as long as it’s needed. And the Board is thrilled that such an experienced fundraiser as Sheila was drawn to our mission.”

Anyone driving by Grappa on July 17th around noontime caught a glimpse of 110 local ladies lunching on the patios in the sunshine, all in hats from the simple to the outrageous.  Thanks to all the friends who came to dine and support the work of PHC.

The Food and Wine Classic came to PC on a gorgeous July weekend.   The Grand Tasting and the Main Street Stroll both hit new heights in attendance. We’re so grateful for the portion of those proceeds that will be coming to the Clinic. And the Gourmet Travel Club’s  Savoury Sundowners seminar for PHC was oversold and so much fun – if you missed it, look for something enticing next year.

WE WON SECOND PRIZE IN OUR CATEGORY IN THE PC FOURTH OF JULY PARADE.  SO PROUD! Watch a video here! Now we’re off to prance in the Wasatch and Summit County parades in the next few weeks – still looking for volunteers!  Email Patti.
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