New Side Project

For my volunteering session this week I worked on a new project! When I walked into the clinic it didn't seem as busy or crowded as I saw in the previous week. I met up with Nieves (correct spelling!) and she told me they were going to get me a computer log in user name so that I could finish the data file entries. Unfortunately, the lady in charge of giving me a computer log in was at a meeting. Instead of entering in files to excel, Nieves had me pull out patient charts for certain doctors. For each month coming up (October, November, and December) for the year 2011, certain doctors wanted their patient charts grouped and piled in a specific place so that they can review them before they see their patients during their appointments. The charts that I pulled out were for the dermatologists. Most of the patients seeing the dermatologists were for acne, mole removals, and other skin conditions. After I pulled out the charts, I sat next to the receptionist and helped her organize some paperwork. After an hour into my session the clinic started getting busier. There were many patients coming in to admit their children to the pediatrician. Most of the children came in with runny noses, ear aches, coughs, and fevers. Also, many adult patients were coming in for dental check-ups as well. My session at the clinic was quiet but still informative. I learned about the common conditions most patients go see the dermatologist for!

until next time!

Never Ending Files

Wednesday I started my official volunteering at San Jose Clinic! I got there at about 10:30am and noticed right away they were very busy. There were patients waiting to see a doctor inside the building and also waiting outside. When I walked in Sam met me and took me upstairs to meet Neeva (spelling?). She was a very nice lady who showed me where I will be working and also what exactly I was to do. We went back downstairs and she took me into the workroom that is FILLED with patient files. All the files are ordered by number and there were THOUSANDS! She told me that there were students who started working on them in the summer and only got about half way through. I was very happy that I could help because it sure looked like they needed to get these files entered asap! She logged me into the computer and I started entering the patient information into an excel sheet. They have the data organized by patient number, name and birth date. I sat in the lobby with another lady named Patricia who handles the scheduling. Her phone NEVER stopped ringing. Patients were calling every minute making appointments. I noticed a majority of the appointments were for dental and eye care. All patients have a card (paper) with their name on it and can only make an appointment if a card was issued to them. In order to be cared for at this clinic they have to provide pay checks (weekly or biweekly), tax return (if they filed) and proof that they are unemployed (if they have no job or are disabled). There are certain standards and amounts that guarantee them a spot as a patient. Also, while I worked the Houston Fire Department was doing an inspection of the building since it is fairly new. There were many firefighters in the lobby and it was pretty entertaining watching them joke around with some of the doctors and nurses.
Overall, I was really happy to help and I had a fun time doing it. The people that work in the lobby are really fun and very helpful. Patricia told me that the patients actually pay a co-op fee but the it is so small that its not a burden for them.

until next time! :-)

Volunteer Orientation :-)

On Friday afternoon I drove over to San Jose Clinic for my orientation. I was surprised  when I arrived at my location that the building is new and looks really nice. To be honest, I was expecting something different considering the area the clinic was located in. When I walked into the clinic I noticed that the inside was beautiful. There were stained glass and paintings covering the ceiling and walls. Sam (volunteer coordinator) later told me that the stained glass were antiques some of the nuns had kept away and that the building and all its necessities were built on donation! When I met with Sam in the lobby I was happy that she was very fun and energetic. The orientation started off with a video over OSHA regulations, paperwork and a tour. During the paper work, Sam told us that they serve people who are living at 200% or more below Federal Poverty Level. THAT IS AMAZING. I couldn't believe that there were so many people in this area living with those conditions and that San Jose Clinic were so generous enough to not charge them for visits. There are 60 doctors on staff who are NOT paid and volunteer their time. Hearing that pleased me so much because in the future when I become a doctor I hope to give back by volunteering or participating in doctors without borders!
During the tour, Sam showed us all the sections of the clinic including the pharmacy and dental unit. Each section is divided in an organized way and the decorations for the pediatric unit were very cute :). Once the tour was over Sam let me know what tasks I will be doing for my volunteering session. I will be transferring their hard copy patient files into their computer database! She said it will be a lot of work but I am up for it!
Another exciting thing Sam let me know was that once my 10 hours of volunteering are up I can start shadowing doctors! I am looking forward to my time at San Jose!

until next time!

High Expectations

          “Volunteer, not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself.” 

I instantly thought...well yes...of course that quote makes sense, but I can't say the idea of volunteering to build up my resume didn't ever cross my mind. I didn't really become a believer in this quote until I started volunteering in the Ronald McDonald House at Texas Children Hospital. Going into volunteering for the first time I didn't have any expectations for myself or for the organization. I guess in a way that was naive of me, but after my first couple of sessions I started realizing the impact my help made on the patients and how the patients affected me. Even when people were struggling to not break down they still managed to make jokes and put a smile on my face. It was nice to hear them tell me I made a huge difference in the happiness of their time spent in the hospital. 

I decided to volunteer at the San Jose Clinic. This will be my first time volunteering at a health clinic. The type of patients and medical conditions will be new to me and  I am very anxious to see what will be in store for me to experience and learn. I know the population of patients is from an under served area but I believe this will make my time spent there more exciting. I want to help the clinic in any way that my skills will allow. If they need me to do computer work or help further educate their patients with medical brochures--I am up for it! I hope I learn more about the common medical diseases of this area and to meet people with life stories different from mine.

 

stay tuned for my first volunteering session! :-)