Partner highlight: Essential Health Clinic
Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, the Essential Health Clinic coordinates Project Access Washington County. Between April 2008 and August 2010, Project Access Washington County enrolled 1,973 patients.
Founding Board member Sue Neal, Director of Women Services at Tuality Healthcare, where she’s worked for 24 years, outlined the Essential Health Clinic’s history in five milestones:
- In 1999, some 50 community members, from 10 different organizations as well as concerned individuals, decided to create a free clinic for the uninsured and underinsured in the county.
- In 2001, following a period of planning, a volunteer-operated organization Essential Health Clinic started seeing their first patients one evening per week.
- In 2006, the Essential Health Clinic opened a one-night-per-week clinic in Tigard.
- In 2008, Project Access Washington County launched under the clinic’s roof with a dedicated coordinator, who joined three other clinic staff.
- In 2010, owing to funding challenges, the Essential Health Clinic suspended its Tigard service, downsized staff, including the executive director position, and curbed referrals from outside providers. The organization is, once again, run by its board.
Similar to other community health clinics in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, the Essential Health Clinic receives financial support from foundations and health systems, which, according to Sue, have been the Clinic’s “strongest supporters”. Very important to its functioning are in-kind contributions, reflecting solid collaborative partnerships with many organizations.
For example, physicians—from Providence, Tuality, Legacy, Kaiser Permanente, and OHSU—donate time and expertise to provide care; Tuality Healthcare donates diagnostic imaging and laboratory services in Hillsboro; and Legacy provided diagnostic imaging and laboratory services for the Tigard Clinic when it was open. Washington County Health and Human Services Department donates the clinic and office space; Pacific University sends Physician Assistant students who provide services and get training for their programs; and a cadre of volunteers, such nurses, interpreters, lab technicians, and retired doctors, donate time.
Project Access remains one of the clinic’s programs. The connection between the two organizations is strong: Linda Nilsen-Solares, Project Access NOW Executive Director, was the Essential Health Clinic’s first manager and, later, Executive Director. Katie Ulin has been the Project Access Washington County Coordinator since its inception.
Sue said, “Project Access Washington County provides a vital service for patients in Washington County, making a difference in people’s lives. We see the solid relationship continuing in the future.”
To meet the challenges ahead, the clinic’s Board of Directors continues its focus on fundraising and rebuilding its capacity to serve the county’s uninsured and underinsured. Among the Board’s strategies is seeking support from new grant sources, such as insurers, working with faith-based organizations, carrying out fundraising events, and developing a giving base made up of strong relationships with individuals and corporations to build a support structure unique to the mission of the Essential Health Clinic.
In fact, on September 30th, the Essential Health Clinic is holding its inaugural Golf Tournament Fundraiser at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Sue said, “We’ve had a great response to the tournament: Six title sponsors and over 100 golfers have signed up. Spots are still open. Join us!”
(September 2010)
