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Low-income and homeless people have long known that Old Town Clinic (OTC) offers compassionate and quality health care on a sliding fee scale. Staff treats these people who otherwise may not get care and does so with dignity and respect, no matter how complex their care.
Located in the heart of the Burnside neighborhood, Old Town Clinic provides quality health care for over 16,800 medical visits each year. Homelessness exacerbates medical problems and patients often have numerous issues. Treating them is more difficult than treating the average person with a chronic illness like diabetes or asthma.
Usually, a person can walk in and get everything they need at OTC because staff has a comprehensive range of expertise and services readily available. Clinicians provide both primary medical and naturopathic care, acupuncture, perform preventive exams and minor procedures, and are able to connect patients with mental health and chemical dependency services. Patients, many of whom lack money, transportation and social skills, do not have to navigate multiple offices and practitioners to get their medical needs met.
Several factors allow Old Town Clinic to give patients the most cost effective and innovative care.
- OTC is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and thus leverages federal and state dollars to provide a strong regimen of care. As an FQHC, OTC must take all patients and operate under strict federal and state guidelines.
- A unique collaboration between OTC and Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) is revolutionizing the way a new generation of doctors understands and addresses the impact of social issues on individual and community health. Doctors from OHSU’s Division of General Internal Medicine treat OTC patients as part of their residency. Through this social medicine curriculum, new doctors gain an understanding of the effects of patients’ education levels, unemployment, poverty, housing, addiction, and lack of primary care on their health and well-being. Old Town Clinic’s Social Medicine Curriculum program with OHSU received a 2007 Award of Excellence from the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association and was described in an article in Academic Medicine (click here to read abstract) .
- OTC is one of five demonstration sites that are testing a new model for delivering integrated medical care and social services more effectively. Funded by CareOregon, the Primary Care Renewal Project has made it easier to get appointments quickly, and created primary care teams with integrated case management and behavioral health to comprehensively address the real needs of each patient.
- A broad network of specialists accepting referrals from OTC helps patients get the care they need
- The BEST+ program helps people access Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for which they are entitled.
Click here to read more about the BEST program
- 89% of the people visiting the clinic have incomes below the poverty level
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