Community Partner: Chase Brexton Health Services
Intern: Saachi Nangla
Site Supervisor: Ken Ruby III
What is Chase Brexton?
Our mission is to provide compassionate, quality
health care that honors diversity, inspires wellness, and improves our communities.
Tasks:
• Organize the pilot partnership between Chase Brexton and Maryland Hunger
Solutions to
• assist eligible clients apply for food stamps through the Supplemental Nutritional
Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Promote awareness of HIV/AIDS through programs such as National HIV Testing
Week and PrEP (pre‐exposure prophylaxis).
• Support the Case Management Department through patient outreach efforts,
assisting with implementing a model based on the HIV Cascade of Care, providing
front desk coverage, and more.
Donut Guy, as he is affectionately known in the Case Management and Outreach Department at Chase Brexton, has visited on
multiple occasions during my time at Chase. He brings donuts – dozens of them. He always comes in with a smile, and he
always manages to convince even the most resistant that a donut is necessary. He brings them for the staff at Chase because
they saved his life. He explains this to me earnestly, exuding gratitude for everything his doctors, nurses, MAs, and case
managers at Chase Brexton have done for him. Donut Guy is just one example of how and why Chase Brexton is a certified
Patient‐Centered Medical Home (PCMH). They consistently have their patients in mind as they provide holistic care. The Case
Management Department plays a critical role in this commitment to their patients; the case managers work to account for the
obstacles that no diagnosis or prescription can pxredict, such as homelessness, insurance issues, legal concerns, and financial
barriers. They pay particular attention to the HIV population, a persistent problem in Baltimore, where over 13,000 are
diagnosed with HIV. And, most of all, they achieve results. Take, for example, the fact that nearly 90% of the Chase Brexton HIV
clients were virally suppressed this month, a feat which means these patients have a nearly normal life expectancy and a
decreased chance of transmission. On the other hand, only about 18% are virally suppressed in Baltimore City. That is a
remarkable way to make a difference in somebody’s life. It is this lesson – the impact of holistic care – that I will carry with me
as I continue pursuing my interest in health. A huge thank you to everybody at Chase Brexton for producing this outstanding
vision of healthcare and for sharing it with me once again.‐Saachi
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