UCLA Department of Family Medicine Fellowship
Sun Valley Community Health Project
Glenn A. Lopez, MD, MPH
The Sun Valley Summer Fellowship in Community Medicine is presently accepting applications for two available summer fellowships for the period June 8 – July 30, 2009. During the six-week program, the fellows will participate in one or both of the programs described below. The first, the Sun Valley Middle School Asthma Screening and Early Intervention Program, is an actual study while the second, OnSite Health Solutions, is a novel private practice primary care model with a nonprofit community service component. Fellows will be encouraged to participate in both programs, although English speaking-only fellows will find more opportunities for service in the Asthma Screening program. The fellows will be expected to not only participate in the two programs, but to develop an appreciation of these programs as examples of community-based medical interventions and the logic behind and the need for such programs.
- Sun Valley Middle School Asthma Screening and Early Intervention Study
Asthma is a prevalent childhood disorder with asthma symptom prevalence rates ("active asthma") estimated at 14.1% among children within the Los Angeles public school system (LAUSD). 57% of children in LAUSD with active asthma remain undiagnosed (approx. 58,500 children) and, therefore, untreated for the disease. If diagnosed early and treated appropriately, most of the morbidity associated with this disease can be prevented. In addition, the majority of those children whose asthma has been diagnosed (approx. 43,000) are poorly controlled. The purpose of the study is to measure of the relative impact of three different interventions on the diagnosis and subsequent management of children identified as having "possible asthma” through an asthma screening questionnaire. The interventions are (1) identification of "possible asthma" by questionnaire only with subsequent referral to PCP for further evaluation and treatment, (2) identification of "probable asthma" by AIM Project Director (M.D.) prior to subsequent referral to PCP for further evaluation and treatment, and (3) identification of “probable asthma” by program Medical Director and invitation to family of child to participate in a family session prior to subsequent referral to PCP for further evaluation and management. This study has obtained approval by the UCLA IRB and is presently awaiting final approval by the LAUSD Committee for External Research Review for implementation.
- Onsite Health Solutions Medical Corporation
- Onsite employer-based health solutions
Health insurance represents only approximately 25% of the total health-related costs to employers; the large majority of health-related costs to industries in the U.S. are attributed to employee short- and long-term disability, production errors, quality and output issues, on-the-job injuries with subsequent workman's' compensation claims, and turnover and recruitment issues. To more effectively address all of the health-related impacts on medium-sized businesses and their workforce, OnSite Health Solutions offers on-site medical and preventative health care services for employees and productivity management support for the employers.
- Onsite community-based health solutions
Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are highly prevalent among underserved populations. In Latino neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, there is an average of 15 adults with diabetes per block, of which only 5 are presently being treated. Screening and early intervention for chronic diseases such as diabetes prevents or slows the development of the complications associated with these conditions. Mobile group medical appointments is a cost-effective model of medical care which combines community-centered medical treatment, group support, and health education to address the chronic disease needs of a group of underserved populations.
For more info, please visit OnSite Health Solutions.
- Onsite employer-based health solutions