NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2017 - 14

LACKMEDSOC.ORG

Feature

THE

EDWARD R. LEAHY JR.
CENTER CLINIC
FOR THE UNINSURED

- THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON -

he Edward R. Leahy Jr. Center Clinic for the Uninsured
(Leahy Clinic) has been operating since 2007 in McGurrin
Hall located at the University of Scranton. The Leahy Clinic
was initially developed as a collaboration between the University
and the Lackawanna County Medical Society with the mission
of providing opportunities for the faculty, students, and local
health professionals from the community to work together to
fill gaps for those most vulnerable. The clinic has grown to now
include medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy low vision
evaluation and education, and counseling clinics.
The Leahy Clinic embodies the Ignatian-Jesuit characteristic
of cura personalis, "care for the whole person" of the University of
Scranton when caring for the community, and in educating students
to become men and women for and with others. The clinic provides
health, wellness, and educational services to the marginalized
and the underserved population living in Lackawanna County.

Due to lack of resources and insurance,
the Leahy Clinic not only provides
medical care to these patients, but
also navigates them through the
healthcare system and to resources
available to them in the community.

The clinic serves a diverse population that is representative
of Lackawanna County. Many of the patients who visit the clinic
are either recent immigrant families from the Caribbean, Latin
America, and South Asia, or the residents who are identified as
the working poor unable to afford health insurance premiums
and high deductibles. Due to lack of resources and insurance, the
Leahy Clinic not only provides medical care to these patients,
but also navigates them through the healthcare system and to
resources available to them in the community.

The majority of the physicians who have volunteered and continue to volunteer at the Leahy Clinic were born and raised in
the Northeast Pennsylvania area or are alumni of the University
of Scranton; therefore volunteering at the clinic gives the physicians opportunity to give back and provide medical care to the
underserved population of Lackawanna County. There are two
major roles for the volunteer physicians at the Leahy Clinic. First
is as an "on site" primary care physician offering non-emergency
care at the clinic, including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Second role is to be an "off-site" referral network specialist who
will volunteer to see patients at their own practices pro-bono.
Processes for obtaining laboratory and diagnostic studies, as well
as follow through, are in place. Medical malpractice coverage is
provided by HRSA FTCA after being credentialed by the clinic.

In 2015 the Leahy Clinic implemented an Electronic Medical
Records (EMR) system to make the work of the physicians and
staff more efficient. In addition, the clinic initiated a medical
scribe program for University students to assist the physician
in using the system and enter patient notes as dictated by the
physician. This program serves the purpose of allowing physicians
and community volunteers the freedom from learning another
electronic documentation system and to spend more time
interacting with the patient. The scribe program allows students
interested in pursuing healthcare careers a chance to observe a
physician-patient interaction and serves as shadowing experience
for those who are committed to this service learning opportunity.
N E PA

VITAL SIGNS

http://www.lackmedsoc.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEPA Vital Signs - Summer Fall 2017