Internal Medicine team receives 2024 Culturally Responsive Health Care Award

At the beginning of last month’s Culturally Responsive Health Care in Iowa conference, Drs. Rachel Anderson, Adam Blaine, Katherine Harris, Krista Johnson, Tyler Maggio, Laurel Smeins, Alice Xu, and Kathie Zhang were presented the 2024 Culturally Responsive Health Care Award for the care provided to underserved patients in partnership with the Iowa City Free Medical and Dental Clinic (FMC).

Jeydith Gutierrez, MD, MPH, Vice Chair of Engagement and Belonging in the Department of Internal Medicine, nominated the teams for this recognition, pointing out that the FMC has provided care to uninsured and underinsured patients in our community for more than 50 years.

“They go above and beyond to provide the patients with optimal care and obtain the necessary resources in an incredibly challenging medical system,” Gutierrez wrote in her nomination letter. “They advocate for every patient, every day, and they welcome staff, fellows, and residents from many different departments, and medical students. They teach us how to care for patients and how to advocate for better health care for all.”

Isabella Grumbach, MD, PhD, Interim Chair and Department Executive Officer, echoed Gutierrez’s nomination, saying, “The range of care the FMC provides is as broad as the community they serve… And although a net exists to catch almost all of our community’s residents, there are still gaps, and those who might normally fall through its holes are often saved by the services provided by the FMC. In an ideal world there would be no reason for it to exist, but in this one, many of our community members owe their health to the FMC.”

Kathie Zhang, MD, pointed out that in addition to providing exceptional care to this underserved population, the team serving the FMC has also allowed for more residents to participate in the clinic by having the time spent there count toward their continuity clinic service requirements. This effort has been led by Katherine Harris, MD, Clinical Professor in General Internal Medicine, Krista Johnson, MD, MME, Clinical Professor of General Internal Medicine, Manish Suneja, MD, Clinical Professor of Nephrology and Vice Chair for Education, and Kevin Glenn, MD, MS, Interim Division Director of General Internal Medicine.

Harris said, “This experience shows the residents the many barriers these patients in our community face: finding a medical setting where they will be accepted, getting time off of work to get to the appointment, finding transportation to the appointment, and paying for medications that cannot be provided for free at FMC. And, on top of all of this, the majority of the patients at FMC do not speak English.

“I think this award really goes to all the people that work day in and day out at the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic. The amazing group of physicians, nurses, care coordinators, interpreters, and volunteers there allow us to come and learn from them and from the patients.

“I am hopeful that our Department of Internal Medicine can continue to support the Free Medical Clinic in all ways,” Harris said, “volunteering, donating, and promoting the care of all patients—not just those who can pay for it.”

The FMC is currently seeking volunteers in their Acute Clinics:

• 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. on Monday or Thursday evenings
• 2 to 3 medical student examiners
• One staffing physician
• Overseeing 6 to 9 patients

If you are interested, please visit https://freemedicalclinic.org/give-time/