#theVIPexperience Post #110: Ariel Alappatt

I have been working for Crossroads as a VIP since June of 2020 and so far I have learned a lot about the logistics behind referrals, giving me insight to the referral process. I have also improved my ability to communicate with patients and office staff over the phone. One of the biggest learning experiences has been communicating with Spanish-speaking patients over the phone and discussing complex financial information with them. 

At first I was very nervous to call Spanish-speaking patients because I was worried I would not be able to hear and understand them and then I would mess something up for them when scheduling. I found that writing out what I was going to say helped me with my confidence and made it easier to call patients. When I finally did talk to a Spanish-speaking patient for the first time I felt accomplished because it was something that I worked on and ended up helping someone else. It also made me feel like I was on track with my goals because one of the main reasons I decided to be a VIP is so that I could improve my Spanish-speaking skills and interact with that community in Cincinnati. Eventually, I want to practice medicine in an area with a large Spanish-speaking community, so by beginning to develop those skills now it feels like I am moving forward with my goals. 

Since then, I have interacted with more patients and ran into new problems like financial aid. I realized that many Spanish-speaking patients do not have insurance whether because of the language barrier so they do not know how or because they are not a citizen of the U.S. so they cannot apply for Medicaid. This is a difficult issue because if they cannot get any money and they do not have enough themselves for their visits how can they get sufficient care? I realized that people in this situation often have to choose between which appointments are more important so they may get seen for their Rheumatoid arthritis but not their toothache. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to schedule these patients at locations like UC Health that provide financial assistance and lower cost offices so they can still get the care they need. 

After this realization, I feel as if my position at Crossroads is truly important to those that struggle with finding affordable care, which motivates me to work harder for our patients. I look forward to learning more during my time as a VIP and having more opportunities to help those who need it most.