Pictured: A recovering patient getting some fresh air at the facility at the Pico-Union site.
In March 2021, Eisner Health began a new partnership with the National Health Foundation’s Pico-Union Recuperative Care Center (NHF). Homeless patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital come to NHF, a 24-bed facility, for up to 3 weeks to receive recuperative care and recover from illness or injury. Once they have completed their recovery, the homeless patients are connected to short or long-term temporary housing upon release. Eisner Health’s medical and dental teams have been embedded at the site three days a week to provide primary and dental care for the patients.
After discharge from the hospital, NHF’s patients have logistical hurdles navigating transportation and other barriers due to homelessness or medical disabilities. These patients often struggle with setting follow-up appointments and may miss out on important preventative or urgent dental or medical care. Eisner Health’s medical team includes physicians focused on adult care, a dentist, and an on-site case manager to assist the patients with coordinated care and follow-up visits. Yet, at times, our providers are called upon to go the extra mile to help.
Jaime Carrillo, Manager of the Health Homes program at Eisner Health states, “Medical and Dental providers are very sensitive to their patients’ needs and they do everything possible to meet them.” Recently, Eisner Health’s Dental Director, Dr. Lizabeth Chiu’s was scheduled to provide some follow-up care at our downtown dental clinic for one of the patients at NHF; an elderly blind gentleman was lost trying to find his way. Dr. Chiu had to go out on the street, phone in hand, talking her way to his location and then bringing him into the clinic. While it created a long day for Dr. Chiu, this personalized care is a core component of the Eisner Health philosophy of treating the whole person and sets our physicians and dentists apart for their commitment and dedication to those most in need.
For more information about Eisner Health’s community partnerships or to find out how you can get involved, please get in touch with Beth Cole, Development Manager at becole@eisnerhealth.com.