Innovation empowers young people beyond school buildings

The “One Stop Shop” healthcare organization in Ypsilanti, Michigan sets new standards for patient-centric care for economically or socially marginalized adolescents aged 12-25.

so Corner Health CenterYoung people looking for a dental treatment, physical examination, or social worker can find all these services under one roof.

“We have always been at the forefront of innovation,” said Versell Smith Jr., Executive Director. For the past 38 years, the mission of the Corner Health Center has been to enable young people to live a healthy life through affordable health and wellness care and education.

Many of these patients are below poverty levels, suffer from trauma, and often have difficulty getting medical care with traditional approaches.

“When looking at the social determinants of health, it is even more important to alleviate the perceived or real barriers that may be there as barriers to care,” Smith said.

Smith has joined Dr. Jackbilli, MD, on the board of Corner Health. During the episode of “AMA Moving MedicineTo describe the outcome of this health model.

Dr. Billi, a former professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan School of Medicine and a longtime member of AMA, states that doctors can learn from Corner Health and create their own integrated care models.

As the first school-based clinic in Michigan, Corner Health aimed to be a full-service adolescent medical center, Dr. Billi said. “They are now offering all kinds of services,” he moved from the school environment to the storefront.

Patients with Corner Health have access to primary care, mental health care, and other wraparound services. If a young person is seeing a doctor and needs a social worker, all he needs to do to access the service is to walk in the corridor. Social workers are always looking for special needs.

“We can also introduce them to the service and have them enroll in treatment if needed,” Smith said.

Corner Health has also partnered with the county to help patients enroll on-site in special nutritional programs for women, toddlers and children.

Smith states that young people are not always eager to insist on their own health and their health care. Corner Health empowers these young patients through guidance and education and provides more information about the center’s medical services.

Cost is one factor that hinders care. “We see all patients, regardless of their ability to pay,” he said. Corner Health also provides telemedicine services to patients facing transportation problems. “Through our patient support program, we have staff with care managers to help them cover them for them if they can’t afford the medicine,” Smith said. Told.

“We hear directly from patients how much they really value this innovative care model,” he added.

“”AMA Moving MedicineHighlights innovations and new challenges that affect today’s physicians and public health.You can catch all episodes by subscribing AMA YouTube channel or Audio-only podcast versionIt also features educational presentations and in-depth discussions.

Dr. Biri, who was invited to the mission tour, said he was “surprised” by the various services. Apart from health care, Corner Health also offers food pantry, trips to the farmers’ market, and even theater companies. We also hold special events for the LGBTQ + community.

Dr. Billi wanted to get more involved and partnered with the University of Michigan School of Medicine to provide doctors with corner health.

In Dr. Billi’s view, Corner Health is “ahead of the times” in creating team-based physician-led care through diverse teams of social workers, nutritionists, and maternal and child health counselors.

Looking at the patient-centric healthcare facility model, he says Corner Health has done this all the time.