Our Bakersfield health center is located in an abortion-care desert, and many other preventive health care services are also very difficult to access if you have a low income, inflexible work hours, or no insurance. Especially during the pandemic.
Raul J., who manages our Bakersfield site, said that during this devastating public health crisis, our patients are constantly expressing gratitude that PPMM is there for them.
“There have been so many times in the past months that patients have told us they have tried and tried to get an appointment with their primary care provider, and they just haven’t been able to get seen,” Raul said. “But they call us, and they get an appointment within days, for anything from birth control to Pap tests to medication abortions and on-site abortions. They are so thankful.”
Our telehealth services have also been crucial for patients who can’t come in to the health center.
“Patients really appreciate that telehealth is safer for them, more convenient, and that they can get these services without having to take off time from jobs that they simply can’t leave for an hour during the day,” Raul said. “We see day laborers here or people at home with kids, because of the pandemic, who don’t have childcare. Having a phone appointment with us is their health care-access.
“Even before COVID, this health center was so important to people who live and work in this community. Now it’s even more crucial.”
Tags: Health Equity, healthcare, covid19