Clinics!

So today I received my clearance and was given the go ahead to start working in the clinics!  You know, doing what I signed up for, not that I have not had a great time in our office (SUPER GREAT staff who are doing amazing things)!

Thanks to Google Maps I can show you the various locations I will be each week.  There are seven locations on the map and one site hosts medical/mental health one day and dental on another day.  As a reference point, I live under where it says East Allegheny. 

Slowly, but surely I am getting used to all the roads and am starting to rely on my GPS less and less which is nice.  Now I know I told many of you I would be working in McKeesport, but it looks like that site is going to Maria (the other AmeriCorps member with Health Care for the Homeless). 

Each clinic is slightly different, but several of the sites are trying to integrate a coordinated care system with medical, mental health and social services all running out of one place at one time.  With a structure similar to a medical home, it helps to make sure that people are not getting lost in the system.  It also allows the doctors/nurses/case managers to work with each other to get people hooked up with the services they need (more about this concept to come). 

The nurses and PAs are GREAT and really want to make sure that I get as much as possible out of my 11 months of services.  So over the next few weeks as I start to settle in we are going to see what other projects I can pick up and skills I can add to my repertoire.  Let me know if you have any ideas or if you want me to do some investigating for you!