Happy New Year!

The clinic closes for two weeks over the holidays each year. It gives the staff and volunteers a time to enjoy the holidays with their families, and gives everyone a much needed break.

But for our patients, it means no access to healthcare for over two weeks. We provide them with the medications they need to manage their chronic healthcare issues, but if anything acute occurs – where do they go? How do they access care?

This year over the two weeks we were closed, at least three of our patients were admitted to the hospital. I don’t know if any of the admissions were avoidable had we been here, but I have to wonder about it.

2013 – one year until the main components of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) take effect. And there are so many unknowns. I wonder as this year begins what next January will look like. What will the role of the clinic be as the ACA goes into effect? There is so much to learn, so much to absorb. I am so excited to think that my patients may have access to REAL healthcare in another year. I am also worried about how they will access that care; how they will get enrolled in the appropriate plans; and how they will afford healthcare. Will there be enough providers to take on the newly insured?

I think that this year will be an interesting journey – for me and for others as we try to figure out what the questions are and how to get the answers we need.

I am pretty sure that access to quality healthcare for all Americans is still a dream that will not be realized just yet. But I think this is an important step in that direction. I am really excited to be part of this process.

Happy New Year!