The Anderson Free ClinicLauren Bishop

Health 4200 Summer InternshipClemson University

Introduction

I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to do my Health 4200

Internship this summer at the Anderson Free Clinic. The Clinic provides services to those in Anderson County who who otherwise not have access to the care

that they need.

I was able to help in many different areas of the clinic, including triage, new patient screening, the shift to

electronic medical records, and assisting physicians. This is just a small

glimpse at the many different ways I was able to learn and grow through my

time at the Anderson Free Clinic.

Anderson Free Clinic logo

What is the Anderson Free Clinic?

The Anderson Free Clinic is an organization that provides

comprehensive healthcare services to low-income, uninsured residents of Anderson County. Most patients of the AFC life in extreme poverty, many times in sub-standard living

conditions.

The Anderson Free Clinic works to provide medical, dental, and

prescription services to those in need. In addition to these services, the clinic is dedicated to improving

overall quality of life through individual and group education,

referrals to community resources, and advocacy for a broad approach

to overall health and wellbeing.

The Anderson Free Clinic, located on Fant Street in Anderson, SC

My internship role at the Anderson Free Clinic

As I entered my internship, I had zero experience working with underserved populations, and was not quite sure

what to expect. Through my experience as an intern at the Free Clinic, I was able to recognize how providing these services to those in

need can truly change lives. I had the opportunity to help in so many

different areas, which allowed me to see just how many different ways the

Clinic works to improve the overall well-being of its patients. From triaging

patients to performing new patient intake screening to helping doctors with the shift to electronic medical notes, I was able to see how much

goes into the care of each and every patient.

Entering triage data into the SOAP Note on the computer

Clinical Experience

Every patient who comes to see a provider at the Anderson Free Clinic

goes through the triage process when they arrive. During this process, their medications are reviewed and vital signs are

obtained.

I was able to gain a vast amount of clinical experience through the

triage process because of the many different patients that I was able to work with. By obtaining vitals on so many different patients and seeing the many different medications that patients are prescribed, I was able to understand how each patient

requires a health plan that is tailored to their needs.

Working with Liz, the staff nurse, on entering patient information into the computer system

Clinical ExperienceAnother aspect of clinical

experience at the Anderson Free Clinic can be found through working

with the physicians. I was able to assist so many different providers in my months at the clinic, seeing how each of them works and learning a

lot about the kind of healthcare provider I hope to one day be.

Several times I was able to help the doctors with patients by assisting in procedures such as joint injections, pelvic exams, etc. This allowed me

to see some basic medical practices first hand. Dr. Turner and myself. Dr. Turner

allowed me to learn so much from him this summer through shadowing many medical

processes.

New Patient Intake

ProceduresEach Wednesday morning, I was able to work as a screener for the new patient

intake process. During this time, I would meet with potential new patients for the

Anderson Free Clinic and go through their application with them. During this process, I helped ensure that their

application was completed correctly, and determined if they were a candidate to become a patient at the clinic. I got to speak with each potential new patient

about their needs to make sure that the clinic could be of assistance to them.

This process allowed me to develop valuable communication skills as I was

able to work with such as variety of people from different backgrounds and

circumstances.

The new patient application that all potential new patients must fill out

Electronic Medical Notes

One of the projects that I helped to work on in my time at the clinic was

the shift to electronic medical notes. As the clinic is about the switch to

Practice Fusion, much has to be done to prepare for that shift. I helped

doctors in the use of an Interim SOAP notes that was in place during this

transition. I also worked on the transfer and renaming of close to 17,000 files so that they will be ready to upload to

practice fusion.

I was thrilled that I could use my computer skills to help the clinic as

they make this progress to an electronic system, and know that this

new system will help improve efficiency immensely.Setting up a patient file for doctors

to enter their medical visit notes

Electronic Medical Notes

One of the most challenging aspects of my internship was

helping to get all of the providers on board with the shift to

electronic medical notes. Many of the providers who help out at the

clinic have been retired for several years, and are resistant to a

change from dictation of medical notes. By working with these providers to show them the

benefits of the new system, I was able to see that the healthcare

system is an ever-changing field. It made me realize the importance of

being flexible and open to improvements, even if I may not

be comfortable with it at first.

Assisting Dr. Turner in the entry of patient data in the computer

Dental Services

I was happy to also assist in the dental department whenever needed at the clinic. At the

Anderson Free Clinic, there is a sign in every room that says, “You are

not healthy without good oral health.” This encourages every patient to take advantage of the

dental services that are available to them for free at the clinic.

I had never worked with dental before this summer, so it was very interesting to assist Dr. Sconyers with extractions and Dr. Straup

with a root canal. It was an excellent opportunity to see that providing these dental services truly can improve their overall

health.

Assisting Dr. Straup on a root canal procedure

Check-Out Procedures

I was happy to help wherever I was needed while at the clinic. This

sometimes included helping at the front desk in checking out patients

and scheduling follow up appointments.

I learned from Lara about how to verify patient information, schedule x-rays, CT scans, and outside referrals, as well as order labs and make follow

up appointments. This was a great experience for me as I was able to learn a new computer system and

truly be able to see the patient process from beginning to end.

Helping Lara at the front desk with checking patients out and making follow up

appointments

Flexibility

One of the most important lessons that I learned through my internship at the

Anderson Free Clinic was the importance of being flexible. I realized that although it is important to have

goals to work towards, sometimes I was needed in other places. By allowing my time at the Clinic to be flexible, I was

able not only to have the opportunity to work in many different areas, but also was able to allow my role as an intern

to develop to fit the needs of the clinic. This flexibility allowed me to really use my time at the clinic to make the most of the experience and be the most help

that I could be.

Adding triage data to a patient file following triage procedures

Patient Satisfaction TipsOne of the projects that I took on while at the clinic was to develop a handout with tips for providers about how to improve patient satisfaction. Through research, I was able to find these small things that everyone at the clinic could do to help the patient experience. I created these small handouts and presented what I found at the staff meeting. I was so happy to have a positive response from the staff, as everyone wanted

to constantly be working to improve the patient experience.

A Commitment to those in

needThe Anderson Free Clinic truly does do all that it can to provide for those who

would not otherwise have access to healthcare. One of the aspects of the clinic that I found most admirable was that they not only provide medical care

to those in need, but also dental services, counseling, chiropractic

services, massage therapy, diabetic education, and so much more.

At the Anderson Free Clinic, they work to ensure that everyone, regardless of their income and background, has the access to the resources needed to lead

a healthy life.

I hope to one day be the type of provider that also encourages patients to have health that is holistic, as I have seen how much this helps the patients

at the free clinic. A list of General Aid available to those in need in Anderson that is given to each patient during the

screening process

Conclusion

My time at the Anderson Free Clinic was one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of my life. It opened my eyes to the reality that there are many who may not have access to the healthcare that they

need without the generous hearts of people who keep free clinics running. I had the opportunity to see the many

different aspects of the clinic that have to function in harmony to keep the clinic running. I am so blessed to have had this experience and I hope to one day be able to give back as a physician by volunteering at a free

clinic.

My preceptor, Barb Baptista, and staff nurse, Liz, treated me to lunch on my last day. I was

truly touched by the sense of community at the Anderson Free Clinic and am so grateful for my

experience.