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We are currently recruiting and training students from the Claremont Colleges to volunteer as Health Advocates with Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, the PAYS program, MALO, and other community organizations.
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Our ClientsBeginning September 2015, Health Bridges launched its pilot program at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC), a major acute care hospital serving the east Los Angeles and west San Bernardino Counties.
According to the hospital, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are serious issues in its primary service area. These chronic diseases are most prevalent among low-income and minority communities in the cities of Pomona, Montclair, Ontario, and Chino. Three major roadblocks to quality health care exist in these these medically underserved communities: (1) language barriers (especially Mandarin and Spanish); (2) a lack of health insurance (especially for undocumented individuals); (3) a lack of understanding of the healthcare system in general and of how to access preventative and primary healthcare services. |
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Current Goals and Activities
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Key Accomplishments |
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Since September 2015, Health Advocates have spent over 4000 hours volunteering at PVHMC's Emergency Room. As of October 1, 2019, we have helped 895 patients with basic language interpretation and hospital navigation (806 Spanish speakers and 78 Mandarin or Cantonese speakers ).
We also successfully enrolled 633 patients in the HPE program, explaining to them in their native languages how to utilize insurance resources, and making appointments on their behalf to complete the full Medi-Cal application. Our second key accomplishment involves the work of the Community Engagement and Relations coordinators, who compile resources for which our clients are eligible and form partnerships with community clinics and social service organizations. So far, we have compiled detailed lists of free/low-cost clinics, urgent care centers, food banks, and senior/housing centers located within PVHMC service areas. We have also developed relationships with five community partners, including the Pomona Community Health Center, East Valley Community Health Center, Asian Pacific Healthcare Ventures, and Asian American Advancing Justice Los Angeles. |
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In the coming years, we hope to provide services in other languages and expand to other hospitals and college campuses.
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