Making Healthy Connections
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - All Saints
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints has been serving the health care needs of a growing uninsured and underinsured patient population in the Racine, WI area. An assessment uncovered the need to help patients learn to manage their health care, and that grew into the decision to take an organized approach to achieving and sustaining overall wellness of the medically underserved population of Racine.
Through a full grant from Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare’s Clara Pfaender Fund, in early 2007, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints began a program called Mother Clara Healthy Connections. The program is a collaboration of two Racine organizations already providing much needed care for the uninsured population: Health Care Network, Inc., a non-profit agency providing free or low cost health care to residents who are medically uninsured and have a limited income; and the Racine Family Medicine Residency/Center, a physician residency program providing primary care services. The Residency/Center is affiliated with the Medial College of Wisconsin and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints.
The Mother Clara Healthy Connections Program aims to improve the overall health and well-being of Racine's uninsured populations by offering unique, compassionate, and patient-centered care. Modeled after All Saints’ worksite wellness programs, the Mother Clara program offers a health risk assessment to patients in an effort to identify their health risks, educate them on preventative measures proven to reduce risks, and provide consultation on next steps for treatment and care.
“This program gives an at-risk population the knowledge, encouragement, and support to be accountable for their health care,” says Connie Kinnee, Administrator of the Racine Family Medicine Residency/Center and Healthy Connections program. “The information that they learn is life changing.”
Since the program began, 330 patients have been referred by physicians of Health Care Network and the Family Medicine Residency program. About half of those referred are actively participating.
By working with each patient, high risk factors are identified including weight management, hypertension, smoking, elevated lipids, and diabetes. Two dedicated nurses then meet with the patients individually to help them set their goals.
Much of the education involves lifestyle changes that can make profound improvements on their health. For example, weight management counseling focuses on increasing physical activity, portion control, label reading, and watching cholesterol intake. Recent results have shown that 51% of those in the program lowered their cholesterol. One of the nurses has even gone grocery shopping with a patient to teach them how to make good food choices within their financial constraints.
Funding from the grant also allows diabetes patients to be monitored by specialists like podiatrists and ophthalmologists.
If other areas of concern such as domestic violence or mental health issues are identified during individual counseling, patients are referred to the appropriate specialized services.
“Not only is this positively changed our patients’ health, we’re seeing great improvements in their self esteem and motivation as well,” says Victoria, who admits the most rewarding part of her job is watching her patients make small changes in their health that result in big personal gains. “Their new mental outlook about their health could have lasting impact on all aspects of their life.”