It's 4:30am as I write this at Logan airport. My flight home leaves in 2 hours. What a great time to do some writing and reflecting on the past couple of days here in Boston with my new friends at Primary Care Progress. I talked about the organization in the previous episode of the podcast.
On Day One of my visit, I had the opportunity to meet the team who works at the Cambridge, Massachusetts office. Although I wasn't surprised, the energy and the synergy that this team generates is palpable. The goal is clear and it's Primary Care Advocacy. Every person proudly shared their role in how that was going to happen. Day One ended with an interview of me that was recorded via webinar. I'll expand about the interview in a future post. (You can listen to the audio from the webinar in the player above, or download this link, and listen anytime)
On Day Two, I had the opportunity to tour an ambulatory office that has fully integrated the team based care model, also known as the Patient Centered Medical Home model. Our tour host even was able to show some data on how this model is really impacting chronic disease outcomes. At this office, the patient care team includes a physician, nurse, physicians assistant, medical assistant, and social worker. There's also a pharmacist and mental health professional on staff.
I still have a lot to learn when it comes to the world of non-profit organizations and advocacy at the organization level. The best way I contribute to the Primary Care cause is going to work every day and doing the best I can to take care of my patients. However, it's exciting to me to find other creative ways to share my Primary Care story. This is through breaking down silos by seeking out other individuals and organizations who have the similar goals. Thanks again to Primary Care Progress for your hospitality and for inspiring me to continue my own advocacy work!