Kaiser Permanente MD's, nurses move "Care Beyond our Walls"

They call it “Care Beyond Our Walls” and what this group of Kaiser Permanente physicians, nurses, educators and techs found beyond their walls were smiling patients waiting to be seen by a doctor, get their blood pressure or cholesterol levels checked

About 200 people attended the free health fair Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the St. Matthew’s Church auditorium in San Mateo, for the community health outreach sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. The health fair was aimed at the Spanish-speaking community in the heart of Silicon Valley.

“Care Beyond Our Walls” is part of a Kaiser Permanente initiative of inclusive care respectful of and sensitive to the unique values, ideals, traditions, and languages of the many cultures currently represented in our member population and the communities that KP serves.

At one of the table stations marked with a sign, “Pregùntele a un Mëdico”, or “ask a doctor.” Dr. Susan Thorne, a physician in the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City’s Hispanic Module spoke in Spanish to a visitor who was having his blood pressure checked.

“They all speak Spanish and understand me,” said the visitor in Spanish.

“This is a big part of the community we serve,” said Dr. Victor Villacorta, physician leader of the Hispanic care (or “module”) at the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, located not very far from St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. “An event like this brings us out into the community and lets the people know we’re here to care for them.”
The four-hour health fair - conducted mostly in Spanish -- included blood pressure testing, cholesterol screening, nutritional advice, diabetes counseling, and exercise programs for the kids, all for no cost. Healthy foods and a very popular large selection of fresh berries, yogurt, and healthy granola were served. Outside the church, the Kaiser Permanente Mobile Health Vehicle, a 40-foot clinic on wheels was parked. Patients were seen inside the two-exam rooms inside the vehicle.
“This event allows us to partner in a very unique way with the Latino community,” said Dr. Timothy Wong, an endocrinologist and Assistant Physician-in-Chief at the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center. “We’re able to reach people we haven’t been able to reach before by partnering with St Matthew’s Church.”
Spanish-speaking physicians from Kaiser Permanente previously presented two well-attended health seminars at the church about diabetes and other health issues in the Latino community.
St. Matthews is a central gathering place for the area’s Latino community, and it’s an ideal location to bring messages of good health and prevention. “Care Beyond Our Walls” events have been held at locations throughout the Bay Area. At the same time, additional Kaiser Permanernte physicians are receiving training to improve their expertise in Spanish, and physicians with some knowledge of the language are getting intensive training to improve their proficency, and understanding of the culture.