ChapCare Announces Two New Programs

ChapCare’s clinical staff members are trained in a model of primary care services that support consistent and comprehensive application to all patients. – Courtesy Photo

Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (ChapCare), a leading primary healthcare provider in the San Gabriel Valley, has announced two new programs:

– Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Program: the goal of this program is to increase the already high standard of care at ChapCare’s health center facilities. Under this program, ChapCare will cover costs for current employees to complete CMA test-prep, courses, testing, and cover test fees. Additionally, all newly-hired CMAs will be required to have this certification. The certification process includes: on-the-job training and enhanced education in a number of areas, including patient relations, clinical and diagnostic procedures, etc.

The CMA is one of the core members of the ChapCare medical team. ChapCare’s clinical staff members are trained in a model of primary care services that support consistent and comprehensive application to all patients. The core of our primary healthcare model is the physician led “teamlet” – one provider paired with one CMA – that ensures patients receive a high-quality and consistent level of care.

– Care Navigator Apprenticeship Program (CNAP) – The goal of this program is to assist community health centers in improving care for complex patients with multiple chronic conditions by: preparing and deploying Care Navigators into primary care and providing targeted education to the medical team to promote care. ChapCare was selected for this program by Work Education & Resource Center (WERC), who is responsible for training the Care Navigators and providing ongoing technical assistance to health center staff. This project is funded, in part, by LA Care Health Plan and will benefit low-income and uninsured residents of Los Angeles County.

Two full-time Care Navigators were recently deployed at ChapCare to work with our Pasadena area patients. Key Care Navigator tasks include: serving as patient advocate bridging communication between doctor, clinic care team, and the patient; reinforcing health goals and patient self-management; supporting patient adherence to medication protocols; assisting patients in navigating and appropriately using the healthcare system to adhere to their health goals; and connecting patients to community resources and services to support their overall wellness and recovery.

“Providing high quality, comprehensive care to our patients is our foremost concern,” said Margaret B. Martinez MPH, ChapCare’s CEO. “These new programs help support this goal by enhancing and expanding our primary care team and the breadth of services they can provide.”

For more information on ChapCare, please call (626) 398-6300 or visit www.chapcare.org.

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