After half a century serving patients in the greater Seattle area, International Community Health Services (ICHS) has seven clinics that provided more than $1 million in uncompensated care in 2021 alone. With roots in the Asian Pacific Islander communities, ICHS is driven by their mission to ensure health equity and access to care. This mission is no surprise, given that the Federally Qualified Health Center treats around 30,000 patients every year who speak more than 70 languages.
Their full suite of services ranges from medical and dental to acupuncture and substance abuse treatment. Their goal to provide a one-stop shop for patients is made easier with access to MAVEN Project’s physician volunteers, who ensure specialty care doesn’t require long waits or additional costs.
“We began with MAVEN Project in 2019 because we needed a resource that would give patients and providers fast access to specialty care,” shared Dr. Beth Weitensteiner, a physician and Associate Chief Medical Officer for ICHS. “Despite the many resources available locally, patients were still waiting up to 12 months to get an appointment with a specialist and MAVEN Project changed that. Now our providers have the confidence and access to expertise they need to ensure health care access for all.”
Jenifer Reyes, a nurse practitioner, has been at ICHS since her residency. In addition to the organization’s other services, Reyes takes advantage of MAVEN Project’s mentoring program.
“My mentor is helping me with both clinical knowledge and the art of being a primary care provider,” Reyes shared. “Most recently she guided my interactions with the family of a patient who had passed away after a long, complicated health history. She helped me understand how to approach the conversation and gave me specific language that would help show empathy while also maintaining boundaries. I wouldn’t have been able to navigate this as smoothly without her.”
Another ICHS nurse practitioner, Rebecca Calderara, sits on MAVEN Project’s clinic advisory committee, helping to ensure MAVEN Project’s effectiveness.
“Everyone at MAVEN Project is so fast,” she noted. “Early on I had a patient with a persistent rash that other providers hadn’t been able to alleviate. One consult with a MAVEN Project dermatologist and I had a diagnosis and treatment that cleared the rash within weeks. All of the consults come back so quickly and with so much added learning for me. It’s just phenomenal – ten out of ten!”
MAVEN Project has been an asset to both patients and providers at ICHS. Especially for newer providers, the level of confidence and reassurance it provides is incredible.
“MAVEN Project’s response time really sets them apart,” Weitensteiner added. “Their experience and expertise are empowering our providers and when you pair that with how quickly they reply, it’s critical to patient outcomes.”
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