As the new year advances into February, it marks the six-month anniversary of the opening of the Aurora Wellness Community Health Center (AWCHC). The long-awaited center has already aided numerous patients in the Aurora community, and beyond. Health care providers, Kelet Robinson, MD, Associate Professor in the University of Colorado’s Department of Family Medicine (CU DFM) and Medical Director of the AWCHC, and Henry Colangelo, MD, Assistant Professor in the CU DFM and Family Medicine Physician, recently spoke to the center’s growth, their anticipated changes, as well as feedback from the community.
The Patient Comes First
Since opening in August of last year, the mission of focusing on the community has always been at the forefront, it’s even shown in its name! Dr. Robinson felt it was important to illustrate the importance of why the AWCHC is called a center instead of a clinic:
"Before we opened, there was polling... as to what would be a preferred nomenclature... The word 'clinic' brings up bad memories for some people, so we intentionally didn't call it a clinic. It's a healthcare center."
The physicians and staff who work at the AWCHC were hired with knowledge and experience of Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQCHC: a community-based health center that provides primary care services to underserved populations) backgrounds. This means they have cared for underserved populations and have the knowledge to address issues and understand how to use loopholes to their advantage to better aid the community.
Dr. Colangelo was glad to share what it has been like working at the clinic, “I started at the AWCHC on October 1, and it has been a great experience thus far. Having spent the past six years working in a federally qualified health center, I felt immediately at home at the AWCHC, providing care for a medically underserved patient population in Aurora. We have a small but mighty team, and I am excited to see how we grow!”
When asked what makes this center unique, Dr. Robinson defined it as, "We aim to be a true neighborhood health center. We also have more space for patients who are not commercially insured than a lot of other sites."
The Community’s Response
With the mission of a patient centered approach, the AWCHC does not cap insurances such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare. This is a sigh of relief to many in the community as they struggle to find in-network providers.
The center largely serves the Aurora community but has noticed patients from other communities coming in as well! Some traveling all the way from Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Dr. Robinson mentioned that these patients are coming over to the AWCHC as it is one of the only primary care locations for Medicaid patients that does not have a four-six month waiting period.
The response from patients have been ecstatic as Dr. Colangelo describes, “We have received so much positive feedback from patients and the community. Many of these patients have been waiting months to see a primary care provider that accepts Medicaid, and they consistently express gratitude to the entire team for the care they receive.”
Dr. Robinson’s perspective is similar, and she added, “I think the biggest compliment and show of gratitude has been the word-of-mouth referrals. I've had so many people tell me that they made an appointment because their sibling, partner, co-worker, etc. told them how happy they were with the care they received here.”
Challenges & Changes
So, what have these past six months looked like for the AWCHC? When asked to explain it in two words or less, Dr. Robinson notes, “growth and structure,” while Dr. Colangelo identified it as, “challenging and fulfilling.”
With three providers (including Sylvia Sevcikova, MPH, MSN, FNP-C) the AWCHC treats around 48 patients per day. Some of which are turning into virtual appointments, as the providers note the need for more space to better accommodate their growth.
With already raving reviews in the first months of opening from patients near and far, Dr. Robinson discussed that although they don’t want to push anyone away from other cities, especially with the need for PCPs, they still want to focus on the Aurora community and the promise the center made to aid the Aurora residents. “It's kind of an interesting balance that you have to reach there” stated Dr. Robinson.
Dr. Colangelo also admitted, “One major challenge is, again, the immense need for high-quality primary care in the community and the limited capacity that we still have as a small clinic with only three providers.”
Their plan to focus more on the Aurora community will be conducted through more marketing efforts. Dr. Robinson plans to continue their efforts through showing up at community centers/meetings, local schools and daycares and their respective health care facilities. This helps let the community know that “we are here and right around the corner.”
At the opening, the specifics of what type of care the clinic would provide were to be developed as patients came in. Now, six months in, Dr. Robinson shared that most come in for general primary care needs—routine physicals, labs, refills on prescriptions—“standard stuff.”
Dr. Robinson then reported, “We're also seeing a lot of mental health needs, social needs, and need for education on how to maneuver the healthcare system."
An additional reoccurring need from patients is behavioral health and PTSD care in support of recovering from traumatic histories including violence, shootings, witnessing abductions, death, and more.
“Our biggest needs remain mental health options and care management… We also see quite a number of people with life threatening diagnoses, who have not had a medical home. They often don't know how or are physically or mentally unable to navigate our behemoth medical system” Dr. Robinson further explained.
In addition, specialty referrals for patients can pose a challenge. Since a large part of the patients have government-sponsored insurances, it can make getting these referrals difficult. The AWCHC’s Medical Director thought it would be easier with the backing of the University but still finds it a challenge.
Thankfully, the AWCHC has an amazing staff who communicate well with their patients, while explaining the referral process and walking them through what to expect. Patients have expressed gratitude for their communication skills and attention to their needs.
Looking Ahead
The AWCHC has listened to the community and now anticipates their four newest providers and staff onboarding this year, Lindsay Boothby, MD, Peter Matranga, NP, Rachel Hess, PA-C, and a part-time psychologist who will be starting in April. With these new faces also come additional exam rooms, all with the vision to better aid the Aurora community.
Dr. Robinson has an aspirational but clear vision for moving forward, “I still think we're figuring out who we are… I'm working on creating more of a ‘family medicine’ population. Family docs are able to manage primary care for all ages and perform a lot of in-office procedures. People are often unaware of the true scope of family docs." She adds, “We'll have a lot more staff, so will have to make staff training and well-being more of an organized thing.”
As with any new clinic, there come both challenges and wins. As the AWCHC continues to grow and pivot with the community and their patients, so do the amazing providers and staff who make it all happen. And Dr. Robinson is enthusiastic about the present and future of the AWCHC: “It's been great interacting with the patients and knowing that we are meeting a need. I also just work with a great group of people.”
When summing up the experience, Dr. Colangelo shared that “It's wonderful to be part of something new from the ground up. And we are absolutely committed to bringing comprehensive full-scope primary care to this community. Family Medicine providers have a unique and important skillset, and we are well-positioned to fill this role for the Aurora community.”
Pictured left to right: Kelet Robinson, MD, Henry Colangelo, MD, and Sylvia Sevcikova, MPH, MSN, FNP-C.
