January 2013


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com A Community Treasure


Western Tidewater Free Clinic is a lifeline for the community’s uninsured patients with diabetes


The Hampton Roads Messenger


7


Suffolk, VA – The brick building


that houses Western Tidewater Free Clinic (WTFC) at the corner of Meade Parkway and Pruden Boulevard in Suffolk resembles other doctors’ offices across the region. Although once inside, patients, volunteers, staff and community partners alike discover the essence of this community treasure and what sets it apart—free, comprehensive care accompanied by a mega dose of health and hope.


As the only free


clinic providing medical and dental services to uninsured, low-income adults residing in the 1,400 square-miles known as Western Tidewater, WTFC is one of a kind. “It’s the ultimate safety net to those individuals who might otherwise not find care,” according to Caroline Martin, President. “It offers a shining example of how care can be delivered when the patient is placed in the center of the team and how care management focuses the delivery of care at Western Tidewater Free Clinic.”


Since November is designated


American Diabetes Month, it’s timely to take a closer look at the WTFC care model given the sobering estimate by the American Diabetes Association that one in three American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps to stop the disease.


The impact of Diabetes According to the Virginia Atlas


of Community Health, Western Tidewater’s rate of diabetes (8.6%) exceeds the overall Commonwealth’s average of 7.8%. Reversing this trend, one patient at a time, is a primary goal at WTFC.


People suffering from diabetes


who have no insurance or resources for medications to manage the disease, tend to utilize the emergency room for their primary care; oftentimes the comparison is made of putting a band aid on a gaping wound. While quality emergent care is provided to the patient in the emergency room, it is episodic and also the most costly intervention when treating a chronic disease like diabetes.


By its nature, diabetes can hasten


the onset of other chronic diseases or complications that can be life


threatening and result in the loss of feet and eyesight, mild to severe forms of nerve damage along with risk of heart disease and stroke. Yet many of the complications are preventable with good daily routines.


Filling the Gap in Diabetes Care When diabetic patients are referred


to WTFC, they usually enter care acutely ill, requiring frequent visits and intense case management from the doctors, nurses, volunteers and ancillary staff to get them on track medically. Of the 1,479 patents seen at WTFC in the last 12 months, 25% of them have diabetes.


Using the care model


of putting the patient in the center of the team, all


parties understand that the patient must be his/her own caregiver between visits. This allows the care to be ongoing and greater than the sum of any one person’s contribution. With diabetes, as with all chronic diseases, education is key. Diabetic patients are educated on medications, proper monitoring of blood sugars and Hemoglobin A1C measurements, ways to manage the disease, diet modification and importance of compliance with their medical regimen.


Patients choosing to manage


their diabetes process has resulted in decreased visits to the emergency room, decreased hospitalizations, fewer days of stay when hospitalizations occur and increased life expectancy.


A Mega Dose of Health & Hope Through Helping Hands


In tandem with health care


provided by dedicated staff, physicians and other caregivers, WTFC offers hope to the patient. While diabetes is an insidious disease, shining a new light on the comprehensive care patients receive at WTFC offers hope to everyone in Western Tidewater.


So the next time you’re at the


corner of Pruden Boulevard and Meade Parkway, we invite you to stop by Western Tidewater Free Clinic and visit the community treasure people across the region have supported through their time, talents and resources. There’s sure to be a dose of hope awaiting you inside as we tackle the health needs of our most vulnerable neighbors together.


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