Crossroad Health Center Pediatrics

Amy Dutko, Summer 2013

Crossroad Health Center West is a non-profit faith based health center which opened in 2009 as a branch of Crossroad Health Center. After reaching capacity in 2013, they moved to a larger office space near Mercy Western Hills hospital. While they take care of new and established pediatric patients, they hope to expand to provide care to adults in the future. The majority of patients either have no insurance or Medicaid.

As a summer intern, I helped provide patient care by rooming patients, measuring height, weight, blood pressure and other vitals. I was also given the opportunity to shadow medical assistants, nurses, doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Other responsibilities included receptionist duties at the front desk, such as registering patients, scheduling, answering phones, and organizing and cataloging files. I worked on a few projects including putting together a first-time parent resource folder and assembling a nutrition education binder.

While assisting the medical assistants and nurses to obtain blood or give shots by holding the children was challenging at times, helping the kids pick out books as they calmed down and got ready to go was rewarding. I was able to follow some children as they recovered from rashes and ear infections, and all parents were so welcoming when I asked if I could follow along with the physician. Seeing the relationships formed between the patients, their parents and the health care providers was heartening and underscored the importance of patience and trust that I saw so frequently at Crossroad.

While providing care, greeting patients and shadowing, I was able to meet people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. I have also learned about the too-common barriers facing patients. Lack of transportation, troubling family situations, challenging financial straits, among others limit the ability of many to maintain their health and wellness. However, the willingness to learn and give back was extremely rewarding to see in the families I met.