(from left to right) Selita Rios smiles on her son Henry after being tended to by Ken Waugh.
By Ken Waugh MS, PA-C
Special to the Glacier City Gazette
You may have seen the signs, gone to our website or even heard some talk about the Girdwood Clinic becoming federally funded, but what does it really mean? On August 11 last year, Girdwood Health Clinic became a Federally Qualified Health Center. For us at the clinic, it means a mountain of new documentation, reams of paperwork to prove we are in compliance with standards and trying to decipher the alphabet of quality measures required as a new health center. Acronyms like UDS, PQRS and meaningful use are now part of my vocabulary. But most important, it means that we can keep the doors open for the foreseeable future.
This news is great for the community as we are your local resource for urgent health care needs. Want an x-ray to rule out fractures, got a cut that needs fixed, or are you so sick you just can’t make it to town? We are always here for you. If it is something that needs a specialist, we maintain excellent relations with the best medical professionals in Anchorage. It is also important to know we are transitioning from reactive to proactive health care. This new Health Care status has allowed for enhanced staffing, which in turn facilitates lots of new programs designed to make Girdwood a healthier place.
First we hired an Executive Director, Tawny Buck, to keep the clinic and staff on track as well as help out with the huge amounts of paperwork. We added two new Certified Application Counselors (CAC) Linda Mankoff and Celina Ashford. They are here to assist should you want to know what your options are based on eligibility under the Affordable Health Care Act, commonly called Obamacare. These two women can help with enrollment through Healthcare.gov and finding a plan that fits your needs. This funding also let us hire a nurse, Clare Jackson RN, BSN, and a medical assistant, Nicole Olsen NCMA, EMT-III. These new hires are really exciting as they expand our outreach into the community.
As you may have heard, MODA is pulling out of the Alaska marketplace, which has created some confusion. but Mankoff and Ashford can update you on current available coverage as well as what future options might exist. I also understand they can help with Medicaid enrollment if you or your child qualifies. They have been circulating in the community at various places but can always be contacted through the clinic.
In conjunction with the States Virology Lab, we will begin to offer Hepatitis C screening for little to no cost to uninsured and underinsured people. Unfortunately, this is a pilot program, so the state is not accepting labs from those who do have insurance at this time. However, we are still happy to do the screen, have a commercial lab do the testing and bill your insurance for this important test. Hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer and other complications. Go to the Center for Disease control website at http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/guidelinesc.htm to see the complete screening recommendations. Please stop in to discuss it, but if you were born between 1945 and 1965, it is recommended you have a onetime test for this disease.
The front desk and clinical staff in Hope remain the same, however, there has been a bit of a role reversal at the Girdwood clinic. Kerry Dorius has now become the part time clinician working two days per week while I do the rest. Our schedules rotate a bit, so it is always best to give us a call to see who is here or to set up an appointment with whomever you want to see. If you need a DOT physical, please try to schedule in the morning. I’m sorry, but I am the only option for those. We do have limited in house labs, and the rest are sent out for testing. Friday afternoon is a bad time since it is difficult to get testing to the lab before they are no longer viable. Melissa will be happy to answer any questions you might have about labs or schedules. Please give her a call.
We have future plans for diabetic education, weight management and enhanced vaccination surveillance. Should you have any ideas for health initiatives that you think would be particularly beneficial for the community, please let us know. After all, we are here to help you.