Westminster Medical Clinic (WMC) was established in 1952, in Westminster Colorado, and today remains an independently owned practice serving 6,500 people. Its mission guides the way they work: “We are a Family Medicine family taking care of people in sickness and in health, in healing and wellbeing.” The WMC Team includes physicians, physician assistants, a nurse practitioner, a certified health coach, behavioral health professionals, a clinical pharmacist, and a Patient Advisory Council (PAC), supported by medical assistants, care coordinators, program coordinators, technology and administrative management.
At every visit, patients are screened for depression, anxiety, and a new social determinant – loneliness. Providers incorporate Serious Illness Conversations with families and loved ones. Home visits are scheduled for patients at their most vulnerable moments after hospitalization and during Covid Stay-at-Home orders. WMC remained open during the Covid Pandemic, ensuring primary care was available to anyone in-person or via telemedicine and offered Covid testing to improve access. WMC began an online, live educational series for patients to answer their questions.
Since 2008, WMC has participated in practice-based research with the non-profit organization, Colorado Center for Primary Care Innovation (CCPCI) and, most recently, to investigate how to identify and treat loneliness. Pre-Covid findings suggest loneliness prevalence is high and needs to be addressed in Primary Care. A second study will assess loneliness prevalence Post-Covid, and both studies are planned to be published. WMC-CCPCI built a digital, point-of-care tool with Visible Network Labs to assess loneliness and determine patient preferred interventions.
WMC has built partnerships with the Jefferson Center for Mental Health for integration of behavioral health; and community-based organizations for wellness interventions. It initiated successful community partnerships with Denver Public Schools and the City of Westminster to teach a healthy lifestyles curriculum.
The Patient Advisory Council (PAC) was established in 2014. Caitlin Barba, MPH, Practice Administrator, has served as the liaison for the PAC since its founding. The work of the PAC has been guided by the following:
Mission: We are a group of patients who advocate for the WMC Community to continuously improve the patient experience. We strive to increase the health and wellbeing of each WMC patient.
Vision: We will build relationships with the WMC Community to listen, learn, and seek opportunities to promote personal, compassionate, patient-centered care.
During 2021, the PAC met virtually every month for two hours in the evening, and emailed continuously. 2021 projects included:
- Developed a PAC handbook
- Continued the patient outreach phone call program to reach patients who are feeling lonely
- Co-wrote and co-produced Pulse newsletters with WMC staff
- Continued to recruit new PAC members
- Conducted annual patient survey and provide analysis of results
- Assisted with deployment of the new Patient Portal
In addition, the PAC created two subcommittees in 2021:
- Patient Education and Communication
- Patient Engagement and Community Outreach
Annually the PAC reaches out to the WMC clinicians and staff and asks them how the PAC can be helpful to them. In 2021, clinicians and staff asked for the PAC to assist with the transition to a new electronic medical record and patient portal. They enthusiastically endorsed the continuation of the PAC Loneliness Outreach program and would like further involvement in community projects and social infrastructure. Kid’s Club also started in 2021 to increase peer and intergenerational connectedness with adults. Homemade cards are created by pediatric patients after orders are placed by a provider or staff member. They are sent to patients after hospitalization, a loss, or a new sibling/addition to the family or just to bring a smile. Cards can also be ordered by community members for patients of Westminster Medical Clinic.
The PAC has conducted an annual survey of patients in the practice for several years. In 2021, they received 177 responses. Responses to some of the 18 questions in the survey included:
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| Should the PAC continue with our friendly patient outreach calls to offer support during the Pandemic and help connect people to resources? | 80% Yes |
| What is your preferred method of contacting WMC and your medical providers? |
74% Telephone to front desk
44% Computer to patient portal/website
|
| Which of the following would you find to be a beneficial use of the TV screens in the medical exam rooms? |
54% General medical information
53% Health tips
|
| WMC provides education on a variety of health topics. What ways do you like to receive this information? |
50% Email
48% Patient portal
38% Lobby TV screen
36% WMC Pulse Newsletter
|
| Are there other service(s) that WMC should consider providing that would be helpful to you? |
58% Vision exams
51% Chiropractor
|
The PAC uses this information to inform their work. Learn more about WMC’s PAC.
In 2021, the Westminster Medical Clinic was awarded the Advanced Primary Care Practice Award by the Patient-Care Collaborative (PCC). This award recognizes an organization that is an extraordinary primary care practice, serving as a model for transformation through innovation as reflected in the Shared Principles of Primary Care, including patient- and family-centered, team-based care and high value.