Clackamas County Project Access
Clackamas County Project Access launches, enrolls patients
Clackamas County Project Access is a late bloomer, but what a bloom it has been! Since its launch in December 2009, Clackamas County Project Access has enrolled 20 patients (3 in December, 17 in January). According to program manager Katie Ulin, “We’re on a roll!”
Clackamas County saw a lot of community need from the outset. The regional system allowed for patients from there to be seen in other Portland metropolitan area counties. “Now we have the ability to care for Clackamas County patients closer to home,” Katie said.
Katie confirmed that recruitment is going well, too. “A lot of partners, such as hospitals or health systems, had already been working with us in other counties. Physicians were signed up through each system and several private practice clinics have locations in Clackamas County. With this program we can finally make use of their volunteer contributions where their patients live.”
Efforts to get a Project Access program off the ground in Clackamas County had been going on since the inception of the regional network. The main barrier was the lack of a clear administrative home for the program similar to the Essential Health Clinic (Washington County), Coalition of Community Health Clinics (Multnomah County), or Free Clinic of Southwest Washington (Clark County). Clackamas County’s only remaining federally-qualified health center, the Beavercreek Clinic, will likely close in 2011 because of budgetary issues.
In essence, the Clackamas County program is sub-contracted to the Essential Health Clinic, aiming to eventually replicate the Washington County program. Similarities between the two counties in terms of population and needs make replication easier than it may seem. Essential Health Clinic‘s Katie Ulin will manage Clackamas County Project Access alongside Project Access Washington County.
Paula Vasquez is the local program’s Care Coordinator. According to Linda Nilsen-Solares, Executive Director of Project Access NOW, the regional network, “Paula gets care coordination and how important it is for healthcare access.”
Clackamas County Project Access completes the four-county effort of establishing a cohesive system for healthcare access for the low-income uninsured. Even though all parties involved recognize access to health care is decreasing in Clackamas County, Clackamas County Project Access aims to serve 160 patients before the end of June 2010.
(February 2010)
For more information
Clackamas County Project Access
Katie Ulin
Program Manager
Essential Health Clinic
Hillsboro, Oregon
503.846.3627 (office)
