Lahai Health

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - LAHAI HEALTH PROVIDES PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING TO OVER 2,000 LOW INCOME AND UNINSURED PATIENTS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED WITH SIX PART TIME NURSES AND OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS. FOR OUR NON-PROFIT 501C3 HEALTH CLINIC TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CARE TO OUR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO EXPAND. IN 2003, LAHAI HEALTH BEGAN OPERATING OUR HALLER LAKE CLINIC AT 2152 NORTH 122ND STREET IN NORTH SEATTLE. IN THIS STRATEGIC LOCATION, AFFLUENCE COEXISTS WITH POVERTY, AND THERE ARE MANY UNMET MEDICAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. AT THE HALLER LAKE CLINIC, WE OFFER COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE, SPECIALTY CARE, COUNSELING, AND INTENSIVE MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENT, ALL AT NO COST TO THE PATIENT. AT PRESENT OUR HALLER LAKE LOCATION HAS THREE EXAM ROOMS. IN 2020, MEDICAL AND COUNSELING VOLUNTEER HOURS AT HAD GROWN TO 7,004 HOURS OF CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. OUR ABILITY TO SERVE A GROWING NUMBER OF PATIENTS IN NEED IS TIED TO VOLUNTEERS, STAFFING, FUNDING, AND PHYSICAL SPACE. THIS GRANT IS FOR THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF OUR HALLER LAKE CLINIC. BESIDES BRINGING VITAL SYSTEMS SUCH AS HVAC UP TO CODE, THIS PROJECT WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE OUR CAPACITY TO SERVE PATIENTS BY: (1) EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF EXAM ROOMS FROM THREE TO FOUR. (2) PROVIDING TWO PRIVATE SPACES FOR PATIENT CONSULTATION WITH NURSE CASE MANAGERS. (3) PROVIDING SPACE FOR ADDED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AS GROWTH DEMANDS. (4) IMPROVING OUR PATIENT WAITING ROOM AND RECEPTION AREA TO MAKE IT AN AFFIRMING SPACE. (5) ADDING SPACE FOR VOLUNTEER PROVIDERS INCLUDING DIETICIANS, CHIROPRACTORS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, DIABETES EDUCATORS, AND OTHER SERVICES. WE PROJECT A ONE-THIRD INCREASE IN PATIENT CAPACITY WITH THE ADDITION OF A FOURTH EXAM ROOM. WE TRACK EVERY PATIENT VISIT AND CAN MONITOR OUR PERFORMANCE IN REAL TIME. LAHAI HEALTH SEES A GROWING NEED FOR MEDICAL SERVICES EVERY DAY, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT NEED INCREASING DRAMATICALLY AS CORONAVIRUS-RELATED JOB LOSSES ROB PEOPLE OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. WE HAVE A 17-YEAR TRACK RECORD OF PROVIDING SERVICES AT HALLER LAKE AND WE UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE. ONCE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED (9-MONTH ESTIMATE), WE WILL BE READY FOR FULL OPERATION AND CAN BEGIN EXPANDED SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. THE PATIENT POPULATION LAHAI CARES FOR IS VERY VULNERABLE, MOST OF OUR PATIENTS STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY. WHEN THEY ARE SICK AND MUST MISS WORK IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE FAMILY. KEEPING PATIENTS FROM A MEDICAL CRISIS PROVIDES FINANCIAL STABILITY. LAHAI CREATES A PROFESSIONAL SPACE FOR LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO CARE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. WORKING INDEPENDENTLY AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL PROVIDING FREE CARE IS EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX. THIS CLINIC LOWERS THE BARRIERS TO FINDING, CARING, AND IMPACTING THOSE IN NEED OF THEIR SERVICES. 40% OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, AND/OR HYPERLIPIDEMIA. BY PROVIDING CONSISTENT FOLLOW UP WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE 80% OF THEM MAINTAIN SCORES WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS OR IMPROVE SCORES FOR THESE THREE CONDITIONS. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE THE SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTING PATIENTS TO DENTAL AND COUNSELING CARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY LAHAI. REFERRALS TO OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEER PATIENT ADVOCATES. LAHAI HEALTH SEES A DIVERSE POPULATION OF PATIENTS AT OUR CLINICS. THE SELF-IDENTIFIED DEMOGRAPHICS OF THIS CLINIC’S POPULATION INCLUDE: RACE/ETHNICITY - 67% HISPANIC/LATINO - 14% AFRICAN AMERICAN - 8% WHITE OR CAUCASIAN - 7% ASIAN AMERICAN - 1% NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER - 1% NATIVE AMERICAN/NATIVE ALASKAN - 2% OTHER AGE - AVERAGE IS 49. WE DO NOT PROVIDE PEDIATRIC CARE AS ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO STATE INSURANCE. HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 88% ARE CONSIDERED LOW INCOME AND 9% ARE AT MODERATE INCOME LEVELS. HEALTH INSURANCE STATUS – 96% UNINSURED.