May 2007

PAMF understands that being healthy is not limited to having an annual physical exam or receiving treatment for a cold or cough. It also means giving patients the tools they need to take care of themselves and their families outside the clinic walls. As the Fremont Center has expanded in the past year to offer patients more services in their own backyard, PAMF has also expanded its presence in the local community to provide patients with the knowledge, resources and support necessary to make healthy choices.

In order to improve the health of patients and others in Fremont, PAMF is beginning by working with members of the community to identify where the need is greatest. PAMF’s community advisory councils (CAC) serve as this vital link to the communities that PAMF serves. Chaired by Francis Marzoni, M.D., president of PAMF’s Palo Alto region, the volunteer CAC is comprised of 20 community members of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, including elected officials, school administrators, members of the business community and interested community members, as well as physicians and others in the health care field.

“Our CAC gives us valuable information about how we can enhance community collaborations on programs and services that will improve the health of the local population, including the underserved,” said Janet Lederer, R.N., vice president of PAMF’s Education Division.

Within the clinic walls, PAMF is also reaching out to patients and others in the community to offer health support and resources. For new mothers who need support and advice in the first three months after giving birth, the Fremont Center offers a postpartum group in which moms can ask questions about newborn care and get hands-on help, including breastfeeding advice, in a supportive environment. For diabetic patients who need help managing their diabetes and nutritional guidance, PAMF’s diabetes educators create individualized management plans and coordinate care with patients’ physicians.

The Fremont Center also features a newly expanded Community Health Resource Center (CHRC), which provides a large array of confidential health support and information, as well as community lectures on various health topics, to patients and the community at no cost. The CHRC also provides special services, including instruction on breast self-examination and how to complete an advance health care directive. PAMF’s new 60,000-square-foot Dublin Center also offers health information and support at its CHRC.

“Without knowledge about their medical conditions and the many resources available to them at the Fremont Center and in their communities, it’s difficult for individuals to feel empowered and be their healthiest selves,” said Kim Greer, R.N., full-time health educator at the Fremont Center’s CHRC. “This is where we come in. We can sit down with people, help them identify what they need and help them find it.”

Greer, who works with part-time health educator Margie Dino, R.N., added that this personal, one-on-one attention is what makes the CHRC unique.

“By spending time with patients and assessing their needs, we can help them identify what is really on their minds, prioritize their questions and individualize the educational materials for them,” said Greer, adding that the CHRC’s new location in Building 2 of the Fremont Center offers more quiet space where patrons can privately discuss their questions with one of the health educators. “This is one of the benefits of having the CHRC staffed by nurses; we are skilled in performing this kind of health education assessment.”

Guidance is provided at no cost on a drop-in basis or by appointment. For more information about the Dublin and Fremont Centers’ CHRC, including hours of operation, visit www.pamf.org/health/chrc.html, or call (925) 875-6150 for Dublin or (510) 623-2231 for Fremont to schedule an appointment.