Crossroad Health Center - OTR

Salima Sewani, Summer 2016

I was placed into a team to work on improving preventive health measures for the patients at Crossroad Health Center. My role involved educating patients on the importance of health screening tests, such as colonoscopies and pap smears. Many of the patients I spoke with were experiencing health-harming underlying issues, such as food insecurity and unemployment, which made it especially difficult for them to make preventive healthcare a priority. I could tell that having someone who reminded them of the importance of these screening tools and someone who could make the appointment for them was really helpful. It made me realize that we should be investing care-coordination type services. After educating the patients, I would communicate with various health facilities to make their appointments. During this process, I had the opportunity to learn about the various barriers people face in accessing the healthcare system, such as transportation, limited appointments, and long wait times. As a future physician, this experience will definitely make me more aware of my patients' experiences and barriers.