After finishing the new VIP training in the beginning, I remember thinking…”Wow, there are so many challenges that I have been unaware of all this time.” In fact, one of my first conversations with a patient went something like this: “Hello! This is Crossroad Health Center calling, may I please speak with…”. “Great, I am calling to see if you would like any assistance scheduling your appointment…oh…I’m very sorry to hear that, is there anything we can do to help...No worries, I am going to contact the office on your behalf and get back to you…Thank you for being patient, and we will get you taken care of…Have a great day!”
The elderly patient that I had reached that day was in severe pain, hoping to get an appointment as soon as possible. However, every time this patient had tried to contact the facility, they would be directed to leave a voicemail or wait on the line for long periods of time which had left them frustrated. Hence, having the opportunity to be a VIP I was able to stand up for this patient with persistent calling and sharing the patient’s disregarded perspective to ensure they received the earliest appointment time. After I shared the appointment details with them at the end, I felt purposeful for helping resolve the issue which had bothered an elder so much. This of many experiences has made me grateful for joining a program such as CVIP, because I am able to first-hand partake in the effort to help our underprivileged community.
Often growing up in a very secure and privileged upbringing leaves us blind to daily obstacles our fellow community members face. It had never occurred to me priorly that our infrastructure itself could be the problem. For example: low insurance coverage, unreliable source of transportation, microaggressions towards minorities, systemic racism etc. all factor into making healthcare less accessible for many. Therefore being a VIP and serving as the West Site Lead for the program, has exposed me to a variety of people and experiences, which are helping me grow into an aware citizen and a competent changemaker.
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