"Participating in the healthcare experience at Crossroad Health Center has considerably impacted my understanding of how accessible healthcare is to many patients. When first hearing of the Crossroad Volunteer Internship Program, I was intrigued as this was a unique opportunity for me. I have worked as a PCA, but I worked in an emergency department, so I hoped that working in a non-emergent health center would provide new experiences where I could have more deliberate interactions and learn the intricacies of the logical side of healthcare.
Early in my time as a volunteer here at Crossroad, I had a tremendously positive experience. The staff and other volunteers were very patient and welcoming to new faces and went out of their way to help me and the other new volunteers succeed in our roles. Those who helped to train me empowered me to be confident in calling patients, doctor's offices, and insurance companies which then translated to helping me solve problems that arose throughout my shifts.
As for my experience with making calls to schedule appointments and deliver reminders to patients, I was quite surprised with the difficulty associated with what would seem like straight forward tasks. While delivering reminder calls, patients would have to cancel and reschedule appointments due to various unavoidable conflicts. While scheduling appointments, they would have to be scheduled out weeks in advance to work with the schedule of the overbooked offices and the inflexible work schedule of the patient. Trying to find new referrals provided barriers because offices would reject new patients, or insurances would be unavailable to provide transportation to scheduled visits. Everyday, there was always some kind of barrier that prevented the patients from getting their needs met and seeing a healthcare professional for their problems.
It is no secret that there are many barriers to healthcare, but seeing these barriers in action and being the person tasked with combating these barriers is an awakening experience. Difficulties in receiving healthcare extend beyond the scope of the healthcare system and into the scope of the surrounding community. It is this reason why the more time I spend at Crossroad, the more I believe it is essential to create communities with strong foundations. Communities where it is safe and accessible to receive assistance in childcare, where employers are understanding and allow time off for healthcare needs, where transportation is affordable and accessible, and where housing in safe and affordable for places to recover. The healthcare system is ever evolving and constantly working to improve the outcomes of patients, but the foundations of communities also need to be supported to help improve the health are outcomes of those who live there."
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