In its 30th year of operation, Arlington Free Clinic is poised to build on its legacy of quality care for the underserved through strengthening foundations and enhancing partnerships and technologies.
Having navigated the COVID epidemic, AFC has returned to normal practice while continuing the innovations learned from the experience. For example, the Clinic maintains telehealth offerings when beneficial, particularly in the area of behavioral health. Patients and medical providers alike find value in in-person appointments and so the majority of our care has returned onsite. However, for those who require frequent visits and struggle with taking time off and finding transportation, telehealth is a tool that can be used to maintain continuity and increase access. Additionally, telehealth has enabled several volunteer physicians and interpreters to continue to offer their services even though they have left the area – a testament to just how dedicated our volunteers are. Members of AFC staff have also continued serving on the Arlington Food Security Coalition, which oversees the implementation of the 2022 Food Security Strategic Plan. Stable access to nutritious food was brought to the forefront during the pandemic and remains an important factor in patient health. In the coming year, we look to strengthen our nutrition education by integrating this important care into all of our services.
Building on the generous donation of the Epic electronic medical record system from our key community partner, VHC Health, AFC is working to more effectively utilize data from various systems to improve patient care and the patient experience. This effort will better empower providers to offer quality, comprehensive, patient-centered care. It will also enable AFC to monitor our impact and efficiently address population-level needs.
In response to specific feedback from patient focus groups, AFC has adopted a new phone system that allows patients more direct contact with staff. We have also utilized the enhanced capabilities of the new phone system to initiate a help line for patients to get quick medical questions answered, removing barriers to access like travel time and expenses.
As we enter our next decade of care, we are focused on opportunities to meet the growing need for dental care and behavioral health services among patients. As mentioned previously, telehealth allows us to expand the reach of our counseling and psychiatry services. In our dental clinic, we have also turned to technology to increase capacity without the need to change our current space footprint. With the generosity of an AFC community member, we were able to purchase a 3-D intraoral scanner, which provides more accurate images of the mouth in a third of the time. This innovation has enabled our dental team to see more patients per day. Yet nearly 300 patients are waiting to access dental care services, and we know the need in the broader community and among our safety net partners is much greater. AFC will be looking for solutions to meet the rising demand for this important care in the years to come.