Doctors Care

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Impact Statement

Doctors Care is a private, nonprofit organization established to provide accessible medical services and improve the health of low-income people living in Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. The program offers medical care through an extensive network of physicians and hospitals who agree to treat eligible patients at significantly-reduced fees.

Doctors Care believes that by providing access to care and educating the uninsured about the proper use of the medical system, we will develop healthy residents who are happy, more active, and better contributors to the quality of life in their community. Doctors Care represents 22 years of compassion, inclusiveness, collaboration and social responsibility in South Metro Denver. By creating partnerships in an effort to eliminate barriers to quality health care for the uninsured, we are empowering others to be part of the solution to keep the entire community healthy.

Doctors Care is the medical home for more than 5,000 low-income and uninsured children, youth and adults. In 2009, the Doctors Care Clinic provided more than 8,080 sick- and well-care visits. A network of more than 750 primary care physicians and specialists provides medical services to individuals screened and accepted as patients of the Doctors Care program. Additionally, five partner hospitals (Swedish Medical Center, Porter Adventist Hospital, Littleton Adventist Hospital, Sky Ridge Medical Center and Parker Adventist Hospital) and their respective laboratory and pharmacy facilities partner with the program. These partners contributed more than $16 million in donated services to Doctors Care patients in 2009.

Community volunteers are an integral part of service delivery. Six volunteer medical providers donate their time in the clinic, collectively contributing an average of nearly 40 hours a week. Students in local Physician Assistant and Residency programs contribute an additional 40 volunteer hours each week. Together, more than 100 administrative and clinical volunteers logged more than 5,000 hours in 2009.

Needs Statement

Doctors Care’s five most pressing needs are:
1) general operations funding to expand access to affordable medical care for a growing number of uninsured patients,
2) funding to support implementation of health information technology (including new practice management software and electronic medical records),
3) medical providers to join the volunteer network,
4)funding to support the integration of mental health care in the primary care setting, and
5) clinic and administrative volunteers and supplies.

Background Statement

In 1988, Denver Health and Hospital decided to exclude suburban, medically-indigent patients from their facilities. This decision eliminated a major source of affordable medical care for the approximately 20,000 uninsured residents of Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. In response to this decision, the physicians of the Arapahoe Medical Society created Doctors Care.

Through a network of volunteer physicians, Doctors Care began providing care on a sliding-fee scale, targeting the working poor whose earnings were above the criteria to qualify for Medicaid and other public assistance, but below the level necessary to pay for health care or private health insurance. After the successful establishment of this network, Doctors Care opened a clinic to treat medically-underserved children and young adults. In the 22 years since its founding, Doctors Care has served more than 20,000 low-income residents of South Metro Denver and provided more than $55 million in medical services to individuals who likely had nowhere else to turn for medical help.

Friends and supporters of Doctors Care celebrated two decades of service to low-income, uninsured patients at a 20th Anniversary Gala in February 2008. The event was an opportunity to recognize the collaboration and compassion of many individuals, businesses, and organizations in the community who have helped eliminate barriers to care since 1988. The celebration of this important milestone also served as a successful fundraising event to close out an endowment challenge campaign initiated by the Community First Foundation. Doctors Care is grateful for the generous community that has now supported the organization for more than two decades.

Executive Director Statement

In 2009, Doctors Care staff, board and volunteers continued to be reminded that sickness has no economic boundaries. The average uninsured patient earned significantly more wages than in the past, yet families still cannot afford to purchase private insurance. Twenty-one percent of our patient population now comes from Douglas County, which once topped the list of the nation’s fastest growing counties, increased to 21 percent.


But when I reflect on the challenges of last year, I find three words continue to inspire and motivate me: Resiliency, Promise and Adaptability.

Resiliency
Last year, we pooled observations from our board and industry experts to come up with strong solutions to address economic concerns. In addition, I spent time with our CEO and CFO partners to identify the mutual roles we fill and identify additional collaborations.

Our resiliency has not gone unnoticed. Foundations, clinicians, and administrators have asked us to provide tools to others who desire to perform and sustain similar work in their community. Last year, we also piqued the interest of Comcast who aired a segment spotlighting our unique success.

Promise
I am proud of the work we have done to motivate more than $16 million in care this past year. However, the demand for services is continually rising. I look in amazement at how far we have come and have hope for how far we have to go. There is great promise that evolves from actively listening to our community and our patients. From them, we will find the most inclusive solutions for everyone.

In the year ahead, Doctors Care will embrace Health Information Technology to prepare both the clinic and the sliding-scale program for the evolving needs of the uninsured in our community and improve the patient experience. We will be positioned to be a leader in the movement toward Health Information Exchange (HIE) for Colorado’s medical providers. By telling the story of the uninsured through accurate data collection, our staff and board will continue to advocate for our patients, give a voice to the populations we serve, and motivate others to make change in the community.

Adaptability
We will adapt to change, even change that occurs without warning. Our community is looking to Doctors Care to create access for those patients in need. The staff and board will make this journey together, stimulating discussion and positive change. We will be intentional in our efforts to ensure vulnerable populations gain coverage quickly and efficiently.

Thank you,

Bebe Kleinman, MNM,
Executive Director

Board Chair/President Statement

I find a single word that inspires my letter for every Doctors Care annual report. It is Thankful.

I am thankful that our patients are so strong and trust us with their care. Their stories illustrate why we must continue on this journey and identify future experts to champion on their behalf. I am thankful to our community for their dedication to the medically underserved. And I am thankful to you. Your interest and response to our work has given us the endurance to rise to the challenge, be creative, and shape our future.

I continue to be thankful for our five hospital partners and 750 physicians. Last year, 162 new providers joined our network. Donated care climbed from $6 million in 2008 to $16 million in 2009. With donations of time, expertise and money, Doctors Care leverages more than $11 of health care for every $1 received.

Even with reform, we expect that the number of medically underserved in need of a medical home will grow. More people may qualify for Medicaid or struggle to pay their premiums, and Doctors Care will work to be a resource for them. Even in a time of change, our purpose remains.

I believe in Gordon MacDonald’s philosophy about the boomerang effect of generosity – it always comes back to you.

We Can! We Must! We Will!


Gary VanderArk, MD
Board President and Founder

In January 2008, my girlfriend and I went to see an orthodontist to get braces for my teeth. After I got my first check-up with Dr. Kent Lauson, the orthodontist, he told me to get my throat examined immediately, because he found out that there was something wrong with it. I did not pay much of an attention to it at that time, thinking that it was just a small swelling. However, I received a very concerned email from Dr. Kent Lauson after few days, with phone numbers and e-mail addresses of Denver ENT doctors. Since I had no insurance, I called few hospitals and booked up an appointment with Associates of Otolaryngology.

The first doctor who examined me was Dr. Nicolette A. Picerno, who was very shocked after seeing me. She sent me to the Cherry Creek Hills Health Images right away, where I got my CT and MRI taken. After they got my test results ready, the doctors introduced me to Dr. Edward Hepworth, the person who I can never thank enough. Even now, I remember those words that he had said to me after we first met. With a warm smile on his face, he said “Gana, for the next few months, I will be controlling your life. Everything is going to be all right. This is just a tumor. After we get it out, there is nothing to worry about. Since it is big in size, only thing we can do is schedule a surgery. The tumor is located in an area, where there are many nerve cells and tissues, so it is going to be a long and important surgery. Your health is number one, so don’t worry about money issues. ” The words that he said took away my fears.

During that time, I had no job, nor insurance. Without knowing what to do and who to ask for help, I was really worried. However, I was in luck again. I found a program called “Doctor’s Care” and my program manager Michelle Hartman, they take care of people like me; by helping them pay for the bills. In other words, they save many people’s lives and bond a strong bridge between the doctor and the patient.

After getting many tests and examinations done, it was clear that I had a “Bnine Tumor”, Shwannoman Tumor, to be exact. I considered myself really lucky for finding out about it before it was too late.

Few days before the surgery, Dr. Hepworth and Chris had called me into his office and said “Everything is ready and set. All you have to do is to be in good mood after the surgery”. Hearing these words reminded me of the encouraging words that my mom told me, “The doctor and the patient have to work together from both sides to get over the illness.” With these words from my doctor and my mom, I felt better.

May 15th, 2008. 5.30 A.M. We arrived to the Swedish Hospital for the big day. In about an hour, Dr. Imola, Dr. Muckle, Dr. Hepworth, Chris and many other doctors and nurses started the surgery, which took about 14 hours. For all this time, my family was waiting for me in the waiting room. I spent three days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was moved to a regular patient room. My lovely mom, my little sister, and my bubi waited for me patiently until I woke up. I remember everything after I moved to a regular patient room. During this time, the doctors and the nurses checked on my regularly. Also, my family stayed with me and took care of me every single day.

For the next few weeks, my body was really tired from the surgery and the pain medicines that I had to take. The big cut from the surgery damaged my nerve cells in the tumor area, which resulted numbness on one side of my face. I could not even close my left eye, so they had to tape it every night to make it easier for me to sleep. I always had to have someone helping me, when getting up, sitting down, or lying down. They had to give me pain medicines hourly. My throat was damaged, so it was very hard for me to talk, eat, drink and even swallow my own saliva. Since I could not eat or drink anything, they had to put a feeding tube on my stomach to help me gain energy. The doctors and the nurses checked on my regularly and I started to walk day by day. I got better within few weeks and I was sent home, which made me really happy. Before I left the hospital, Dr. Hepworth came in to my room and told me that it was safe for me to go home and get treatments at home. Also, he wanted me to write about my experiences on this whole thing and share it with many people to give them courage in their life.

After I came home, within two months, I had about five small surgeries and many other appointments with my doctors. During this time, I could not sleep or eat as much as I wanted to, so I was under many treatments. I got better day by day with the help of many great people. The most important treatments I got was the Vital Stim therapy from a speech therapist, Theresa, the acupuncture therapy from an acupuncturist, Munkhtuvshin, and face massage therapy from my mom. After doing all these treatments, I was able to talk, eat, and smile. I got my feeding tube removed after three months.

For the past few months, I have been through many things. Now, when I look back in time, I feel that I left all my fears behind and the future is shining bright at me. With the help and pray from many, many people, I am able to live now.

In the end of my letter, I want to thank the dear doctors, the nurses and everyone else for dedicating all of these for me, from the bottom of my heart.




Sincerely, Gana.

(Gana’s story online: http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_10907438?source=email)