Serving the Community

Kaiser Permanente provides Free Clinic physicians

By Anna Bakalis
Ventura County Star

Mitra Simi walked into the waiting room with a Bluetooth headset in her ear and an appointment book in hand. A busy mother and hairstylist, Simi has chronic high blood pressure.

She visits the Free Clinic of Simi Valley for what insurance companies call "a pre-existing condition." Like many others, Simi can't afford a monthly insurance premium. But here at the clinic, she is able to get the medical attention she needs for free.

While she is very appreciative, Simi has one request.

"We don't get doctors here as often as I like," she said. "It would help if there were more."

As if to answer her, behind the waiting room door a handful of doctors prepares  to meet with the day's patients.

"Really? That's great news," Simi said.

The Simi Valley resident is one of the first patients to be seen under a new Kaiser Permanente residency program that brings doctors to the free clinic every Thursday.

It started last week and will rotate 18 doctors in residence from Woodland Hills Medical Center, under supervising physician Monica Santos Tantraphol. Residents are newly educated doctors who work in medical offices and hospitals to gain experience.
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At Kaiser Permanente, we have a social mission to transform health care in our communities, mainly by:

• Providing access to affordable, high quality health care services;
• Improving the health status of members and the community we serve;
• Discovering and sharing new, innovative, effective ways to organize and deliver care and to prepare future health care professionals for practice.

To demonstrate this commitment to serving our communities, Kaiser Permanente has launched, sponsored, and/or participated in the following programs and initiatives:

Camps

Asthma Camp
Camp Ronald McDonald

Career Fairs

UCLA Career Fair
USC Career Fair
American Medical Student Association
Latino Medical Student Association
Student National Medical Association
Chicano-Latino for Community Medicine
Black Pre-Health Organization
Kaiser Annual Open House for Medical Students and Undergrads

Community Medicine

CAST – Child Abuse Services team for Orange County
Latino Health Access – Nationally recognized organization that provides outreach, education, and resources for those with no other access to medical services.

Free Clinics

Alhambra Free Clinic
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture
Ensenada Medical Clinic-Mexico
Indian Free Clinic
Los Angeles Free Clinic
Manuel Arts High School Clinic
Salvation Army Homeless Shelter
Sunset/Hollywood Free Clinic
Venice Free Clinic
Westwood Salvation Army Transitional Housing Homeless Outreach Clinic
UCLA Mobile Clinic

Health Fairs

UCLA Lennox Health Fair
UCLA Synergy Health Fair

Sports Coverage

Sports Medicine coverage for the following Colleges and local events:

Cal State Long Beach San Bernardino Sheriff Air Medics
Cal State San Bernardino San Bernardino Sheriff’s Rodeo
Chaffey College San Diego Marathon
Claremont McKenna College Special Olympics
College of the Canyons Redlands Bike Classic
Los Angeles City College Occidental College
Pomona College *Numerous High Schools
University of California, Riverside
University of LaVerne

Youth Mentoring Programs

Hippocrates Circle Program – provides 7 th & 8 th graders from underrepresented communities and diverse backgrounds with awareness that a career as a physician is possible.
HIV Prevention seminars
Summer Youth Employment Program
“Stamp Out” anti-smoking education for preteens
“Smile Doc” Health Education for elementary schools