Helping Patients Achieve Wellness

In April 2009, 41 patients accessed donated surgeries and gastroenterological procedures through the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation’s partnership with Kaiser Permanente. We surveyed patients before they received their care and asked them important questions about the quality of their health, the impact of their health on their ability to work, and their general well-being. In October 2009 — six months later — we asked these patients the same questions. The results were startling.

Reducing Clinic Visits
Patients surveyed self-reported that during the six months prior to their surgeries, they visited their home clinics a combined total of 22 times due to poor health symptoms. After their surgeries, our patients only needed a total of two visits to their home clinics.

Achieving Better Health
Patients reported living with symptoms an average of 14 days during the 30-day period before their surgeries. Symptomatic days went down to an average of two days for the entire six months following their surgeries.

Getting Back to Work
One of the most meaningful outcomes for patients was getting the patients back to work. Before their surgeries, patients reported an average eight days of missed work due to illness during the month before their surgeries. After Surgery Day, patients reported no missed days of work.

Growing and Nurturing Our Program
The San Diego County Medical Society Foundation and Project Access know that with or without healthcare reform, many San Diegan County residents will still need our help accessing care. Our program is designed to be flexible and scalable in order to meet the needs of the community. Situated at the San Diego County Medical Society, our Foundation is connected to nearly 3,000 physicians. Our program is growing with the community. Please see page 41 to learn more about how you can get involved!

Project Access Patients

• All Project Access Patients are below at least 350% of the federal poverty level.
• 100% of Project Access patients are uninsured.
• 100% of Project Access patients have a medical home.
• 100% of Project Access patients are San Diego County residents.
• 98% of Project Access patients are adults between 18 and 54 years of age.
• 2% of Project Access patients are 55 years or older.

Project Access San Diego: 2009 Partners

• Alliance Healthcare Foundation
• Anesthesiology Services Medical Group
• California Endowment
• County of San Diego
• Grossmont Healthcare District
• Imaging Healthcare Services
• Kaiser Permanente
• Palomar Pomerado Hospital
• San Diego Pathology Group
• Supervisor Greg Cox
• Supervisor Ron Roberts
• The WebMD Foundation
• UC San Diego Medical Center
• Valley Radiology