Staff- Noor Community Clinic
The volunteer physician asked me if there was a way to refer her patient for a pap smear. The patient, an elderly female, complained of vaginal spotting. She did not have health insurance and had presented to Noor Community Clinic, a free clinic in Columbus. I had started volunteering with the clinic as an undergraduate data assistant summarizing paper records electronically. I was now a first-year medical student serving on the leadership committee for the clinic as referrals coordinator. On every clinic day, I would discharge patients giving them instructions on how to obtain their free radiographic and laboratory studies. Furthermore, if any patient required specialty consultation, I would assist volunteer physicians in filling out referral forms for the local hospital and ensure that all required documents were mailed to the specialty office. I would also give patients instructions on how to sign up for financial assistance with the local hospital to receive specialty care. Since most of our patients were not fluent in English, it was my job as the referrals coordinator to call specialty offices on their behalf, ensuring that all documents were received and that an appointment was made. I would then communicate that appointment date to my patients.
Receiving Plaque at Annual Recognition Luncheon- Noor Community Clinic. Middle: Dr. Malika Haque, Medical Director, Noor Community Clinic. Right: Samia Miniato RN, BSN, Chief Nurse and Clinic Coordinator, Noor Community Clinic.
Unfortunately, the wait at the local hospital for a new patient appointment was very long. In my experience, scheduling a gynecology appointment for my elderly patient would have taken at least three months. We did not want to wait that long given a concern for pre-cancerous or cancerous lesion of the cervix since our patient had been non-compliant with cervical cancer screenings due to being uninsured. To my relief, I had recently updated our clinic’s catalog of medical services provided by local non-profit organizations that we could refer our patients to. One of those organizations offered free pap smears and mammograms. I informed the volunteering physician of this resource and directed the patient on how to receive her pap smear. Since I was familiar with medical resources that were available in the community, I could provide my patient with timely and effective medical care. Patients are frequently unaware of healthcare resources available to them and look to their physicians for guidance in difficult circumstances such a domestic violence, addiction, and teenage pregnancy. It becomes the physician’s duty to keep himself/herself informed of available resources so they may guide their patients. As an ophthalmologist, I may see patients who require closer primary care follow-up due to their uncontrolled diabetes causing a retinal bleed or require social work consultation due to ocular trauma occurring from domestic violence or driving under influence. I, despite being a specialist, must be able to identify such circumstances and be willing and equipped to provide further guidance for the betterment of my patients.