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The Anderson Free ClinicLauren Bishop
Health 4200 Summer InternshipClemson University
Introduction
I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to do my Health 4200
Internship this summer at the Anderson Free Clinic. The Clinic provides services to those in Anderson County who who otherwise not have access to the care
that they need.
I was able to help in many different areas of the clinic, including triage, new patient screening, the shift to
electronic medical records, and assisting physicians. This is just a small
glimpse at the many different ways I was able to learn and grow through my
time at the Anderson Free Clinic.
Anderson Free Clinic logo
What is the Anderson Free Clinic?
The Anderson Free Clinic is an organization that provides
comprehensive healthcare services to low-income, uninsured residents of Anderson County. Most patients of the AFC life in extreme poverty, many times in sub-standard living
conditions.
The Anderson Free Clinic works to provide medical, dental, and
prescription services to those in need. In addition to these services, the clinic is dedicated to improving
overall quality of life through individual and group education,
referrals to community resources, and advocacy for a broad approach
to overall health and wellbeing.
The Anderson Free Clinic, located on Fant Street in Anderson, SC
My internship role at the Anderson Free Clinic
As I entered my internship, I had zero experience working with underserved populations, and was not quite sure
what to expect. Through my experience as an intern at the Free Clinic, I was able to recognize how providing these services to those in
need can truly change lives. I had the opportunity to help in so many
different areas, which allowed me to see just how many different ways the
Clinic works to improve the overall well-being of its patients. From triaging
patients to performing new patient intake screening to helping doctors with the shift to electronic medical notes, I was able to see how much
goes into the care of each and every patient.
Entering triage data into the SOAP Note on the computer
Clinical Experience
Every patient who comes to see a provider at the Anderson Free Clinic
goes through the triage process when they arrive. During this process, their medications are reviewed and vital signs are
obtained.
I was able to gain a vast amount of clinical experience through the
triage process because of the many different patients that I was able to work with. By obtaining vitals on so many different patients and seeing the many different medications that patients are prescribed, I was able to understand how each patient
requires a health plan that is tailored to their needs.
Working with Liz, the staff nurse, on entering patient information into the computer system
Clinical ExperienceAnother aspect of clinical
experience at the Anderson Free Clinic can be found through working
with the physicians. I was able to assist so many different providers in my months at the clinic, seeing how each of them works and learning a
lot about the kind of healthcare provider I hope to one day be.
Several times I was able to help the doctors with patients by assisting in procedures such as joint injections, pelvic exams, etc. This allowed me
to see some basic medical practices first hand. Dr. Turner and myself. Dr. Turner
allowed me to learn so much from him this summer through shadowing many medical
processes.
New Patient Intake
ProceduresEach Wednesday morning, I was able to work as a screener for the new patient
intake process. During this time, I would meet with potential new patients for the
Anderson Free Clinic and go through their application with them. During this process, I helped ensure that their
application was completed correctly, and determined if they were a candidate to become a patient at the clinic. I got to speak with each potential new patient
about their needs to make sure that the clinic could be of assistance to them.
This process allowed me to develop valuable communication skills as I was
able to work with such as variety of people from different backgrounds and
circumstances.
The new patient application that all potential new patients must fill out
Electronic Medical Notes
One of the projects that I helped to work on in my time at the clinic was
the shift to electronic medical notes. As the clinic is about the switch to
Practice Fusion, much has to be done to prepare for that shift. I helped
doctors in the use of an Interim SOAP notes that was in place during this
transition. I also worked on the transfer and renaming of close to 17,000 files so that they will be ready to upload to
practice fusion.
I was thrilled that I could use my computer skills to help the clinic as
they make this progress to an electronic system, and know that this
new system will help improve efficiency immensely.Setting up a patient file for doctors
to enter their medical visit notes
Electronic Medical Notes
One of the most challenging aspects of my internship was
helping to get all of the providers on board with the shift to
electronic medical notes. Many of the providers who help out at the
clinic have been retired for several years, and are resistant to a
change from dictation of medical notes. By working with these providers to show them the
benefits of the new system, I was able to see that the healthcare
system is an ever-changing field. It made me realize the importance of
being flexible and open to improvements, even if I may not
be comfortable with it at first.
Assisting Dr. Turner in the entry of patient data in the computer
Dental Services
I was happy to also assist in the dental department whenever needed at the clinic. At the
Anderson Free Clinic, there is a sign in every room that says, “You are
not healthy without good oral health.” This encourages every patient to take advantage of the
dental services that are available to them for free at the clinic.
I had never worked with dental before this summer, so it was very interesting to assist Dr. Sconyers with extractions and Dr. Straup
with a root canal. It was an excellent opportunity to see that providing these dental services truly can improve their overall
health.
Assisting Dr. Straup on a root canal procedure
Check-Out Procedures
I was happy to help wherever I was needed while at the clinic. This
sometimes included helping at the front desk in checking out patients
and scheduling follow up appointments.
I learned from Lara about how to verify patient information, schedule x-rays, CT scans, and outside referrals, as well as order labs and make follow
up appointments. This was a great experience for me as I was able to learn a new computer system and
truly be able to see the patient process from beginning to end.
Helping Lara at the front desk with checking patients out and making follow up
appointments
Flexibility
One of the most important lessons that I learned through my internship at the
Anderson Free Clinic was the importance of being flexible. I realized that although it is important to have
goals to work towards, sometimes I was needed in other places. By allowing my time at the Clinic to be flexible, I was
able not only to have the opportunity to work in many different areas, but also was able to allow my role as an intern
to develop to fit the needs of the clinic. This flexibility allowed me to really use my time at the clinic to make the most of the experience and be the most help
that I could be.
Adding triage data to a patient file following triage procedures
Patient Satisfaction TipsOne of the projects that I took on while at the clinic was to develop a handout with tips for providers about how to improve patient satisfaction. Through research, I was able to find these small things that everyone at the clinic could do to help the patient experience. I created these small handouts and presented what I found at the staff meeting. I was so happy to have a positive response from the staff, as everyone wanted
to constantly be working to improve the patient experience.
A Commitment to those in
needThe Anderson Free Clinic truly does do all that it can to provide for those who
would not otherwise have access to healthcare. One of the aspects of the clinic that I found most admirable was that they not only provide medical care
to those in need, but also dental services, counseling, chiropractic
services, massage therapy, diabetic education, and so much more.
At the Anderson Free Clinic, they work to ensure that everyone, regardless of their income and background, has the access to the resources needed to lead
a healthy life.
I hope to one day be the type of provider that also encourages patients to have health that is holistic, as I have seen how much this helps the patients
at the free clinic. A list of General Aid available to those in need in Anderson that is given to each patient during the
screening process
Conclusion
My time at the Anderson Free Clinic was one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of my life. It opened my eyes to the reality that there are many who may not have access to the healthcare that they
need without the generous hearts of people who keep free clinics running. I had the opportunity to see the many
different aspects of the clinic that have to function in harmony to keep the clinic running. I am so blessed to have had this experience and I hope to one day be able to give back as a physician by volunteering at a free
clinic.
My preceptor, Barb Baptista, and staff nurse, Liz, treated me to lunch on my last day. I was
truly touched by the sense of community at the Anderson Free Clinic and am so grateful for my
experience.
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