By Corner Health Center | Corner Health Center
In the midst of COVID-19, which remained unabated this past year, Thanks to support from the GlobalGiving community and others, the Corner made operational adjustments to deliver high-quality care and a meaningful patient experience in five areas of service:1) Primary Care, 2) Maternal and Infant Health Care, 3) Behavioral Health Care, 4) Gender Affirming Health Care and 5) Wellness and Preventive Medicine. In addition to preserving the integrity of its medical programs, the Corner also faced the challenge of working in a community with the greatest COVID-19 challenges compared to the rest of Washtenaw County. The Washtenaw County Health Department reported that new COVID-19 cases in the 48197 and 48198 zip codes during the two-week period from 9/9/21 to 9/22/21 were two of the three highest rates in the county. Also during that time, residents ages 10 to 17 comprised 9% of all newly confirmed cases, residents ages 18 to 22 comprised 24% (the highest percentage of any age group), and residents ages 23 to 29 comprised 12%. Faced with these challenges, the Corner and its staff rose to meet the needs of the community, sought and received support to become an official State immunization site, as well as provided its patients and the community easy access to vaccinations. In addition, with your support, the Corner protected its patients and staff with the acquisition of personal protective equipment, using various technologies to improve distribution of vaccines and telemedicine to minimize personal contact.
Over the years, the Corner developed an array of robust education and community outreach programs to promote wellness and preventive medicine, which are uniquely developed to appeal to young people. One of its marquee programs is the Theatre Troupe which provides educational vignettes that teach youth about vital health topics. Since its inception, the Troupe has trained young actors/peer educators on topics such as teen pregnancy, smoking cessation, substance abuse, depression, dating violence, and bullying. During COVID-19, the Corner has also maintained its emergency food pantry in partnership with Food Gatherers, an Ann Arbor based food bank. During this period with support received the Corner was also able to have a teaching kitchen to host cooking classes; and promoted wellness programs to encourage healthy lifestyle principles during the pandemic.
Patient visits have increased from 6,434 in 2016/17 to approximately 8,828 in 2020/21, a 31% spike, which shows the Corner is providing significantly more services to its patients. In addition, there was a jump in visits for mental health issues from 27% to 33% during this period. The Corner was also able to conduct 3,529 or 40% of its patient visits through the telehealth system to mitigate patient contact with staff and protect both from the COVID-19 virus. Because of the Corner’s designation as a COVID-19 immunization site, the number of immunizations increased from 1,586 in 2018/19 to 1,941 in 2020/21. 304 immunizations were COVID-19 vaccinations. Also, during this period, the Corner continued providing some of its education and outreach services. The Corner gifted 7,316 pounds of food through the Corner store, Food Pantry, and also supplied personal care items.
Thank you for supporting the patients that we serve, and for helping our young people stay healthy!
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