The semi-annual newsletter of
Fall/Winter 2012
Encounters Photos: Pierre Auroux, Ray Chavez, Erin Harnisch, Rob Latour, Margaret Molloy and John Salangsang
Venice Family Clinic Releases Results From Latest Patient Survey Patients, Providers Take The Podium at Congressional Press Conference Venice Family Clinic Physician Remembers Children’s Holiday Movie Experience
Our Family Speaks Out!
Providing quality primary health care to people in need
Our Family, Our Stories From the CEO Dear Friends, As families come together during the holidays to share the stories of their lives and look ahead to the coming year, I’m excited that this issue of Encounters is dedicated to the stories of our family: the patients, physicians, clinic staff, donors, board members and volunteers that are Venice Family Clinic. In reviewing the results of our most recent patient survey conducted this spring, we were encouraged—and pleasantly surprised—to learn that our patients are overwhelmingly happy with the services they receive at Venice Family Clinic. When you’re working hard to see as many patients as possible and make every dollar count, we must remind ourselves to stop and acknowledge the real impact we have on their lives. From evaluating our patients’ experience with us to offering a word of encouragement before they take the podium at a congressional press conference, we are motivated by the stories of our families and the chance to empower them to use their voices to make a positive impact at home and in their communities. Many of the seemingly small yet impactful ways that we affect their lives will never show up on our patient surveys. This includes instances when a clinic coordinator provides bus tokens to help a disabled patient get to his specialty referral, or when a nurse brings a bowl of soup to a young woman who hasn’t eaten in days, or when a medical assistant helps a homeless man select a replacement pair of shoes from the homeless clothing closet. But these interactions are still central to the Clinic’s mission, and they help explain why, despite being a “provider of last resort,” Venice Family Clinic is many patients’ first choice for a medical home. Such a comprehensive view of health requires an equally comprehensive view of fundraising. And to that end, there’s one more thing I’d like you to know Venice Family Clinic does well: leverage private donations. For every dollar you give, the Clinic procures seven additional dollars’ worth of support, from lab services and radiology to medications and medical equipment. I hope you’ll help us transform our patients’ lives by contributing to Venice Family Clinic using the enclosed donation envelope or through any of the other giving opportunities available throughout the year. Thank you for your support,
VENICE FAMILY CLINIC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian D. Kan, MD, Chair Ashley Johnson, Secretary Jeffrey E. Sinaiko, Treasurer Mayer B. Davidson, MD Paula Davis Aime Espinosa William Flumenbaum Luis Galvez Rev. Lynda D. Gray Crispin Jimenez Neil H. Parker, MD Bill Resnick, MD Paul Saben, MBA Flora Santacruz Stewart Seradsky Lourdes Servin Carmen Thomas-Paris Leisa Wu
VENICE FAMILY CLINIC FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Susan Adelman Carol L. Archie, MD Neal Baer, MD Rick Bradley Lowell C. Brown, Esq. Mayer B. Davidson, MD Susan Fleischman, MD William Flumenbaum Chester F. Griffiths, MD, FACS Jimmy H. Hara, MD Joan Herman Ashley Johnson Brian D. Kan, MD Deborah Laub Constance Lawton Lou Lazatin Harley Liker, MD, MBA Tracey Loeb Gail Margolis, Esq. Melissa Martinez Frank Matricardi, Dr PH Viren Mehta Wendy Smith Meyer, PhD, LCSW William D. Parente Hutch Parker Neil H. Parker, MD Bill Resnick, MD Paul Saben, MBA Fern Seizer Alan Sieroty Jeffrey E. Sinaiko Russel Tyner, AIA Michael S. Wilkes, MD, PhD Leisa Wu
VENICE FAMILY CLINIC BOARD EMERITUS Ruth Bloom Daniel Hillman, MD Joanne Jubelier, PhD Karl A. Keener, Esq. Ruth Moss
VENICE FAMILY CLINIC PHILANTHROPY BOARD Kathleen Aikenhead Lou Colen Marjorie Fasman Ruth Flinkman-Marandy Hilary & Robert Nelson Jacobs Glorya Kaufman Susanne & Paul Kester Shawn & Larry King Deborah Laub Susan Adelman & Claudio Llanos Chuck Lorre Laurie MacDonald Anita May Rosenstein Victoria & Ronald Simms Harriet & Richard Squire Eva Vollmer Billie Milam Weisman Sylvia Weisz Ruth Ziegler Marilyn Ziering Diane & Michael Ziering Janet & Jerry Zucker
VENICE FAMILY CLINIC ADVISORY BOARD Martin Anderson, MD, MPH Bernard Briskin Stan Chiu Henry G. Cisneros Lou Colen Lucia Diaz Laddie John Dill Raymond Eden Leah Ellenberg, PhD Lila Garrett Ellie Craig Goldstein Allan Gordon Daniel Helberg Roseann Herman, Esq. Elaine Hoffman Douglas I. Jeffe Diedre Kelly-Gordon Barbara A. Levey, MD, FACP Julie Liker Connie Linn Al Markovitz, MD, FACP Michael McClain Kelly Chapman Meyer Robert Moverley Charlotte Neumann, MD, MPH Chris O’Brien Regina Pally, MD Kenneth Ramberg Joyce Rey Brian K. Rosenstein Todd Stella Mildred Sterz Arthur Stickgold Jill E. Thomas Matthew A. Toledo Carl Weissburg, Esq.
Elizabeth Benson Forer, MSW/MPH CEO and Executive Director
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Be (among) the first to know. Get event details and other exciting news by “liking” Venice Family Clinic on Facebook, www.facebook.com/venicefamilyclinic.
“Being Sick Was a Luxury for Us”
Photo: medical volunteer Keila Perez, patient Denise Horton, UCLA student Daniel Block, Congressman Henry Waxman, Venice Family Clinic CEO Elizabeth Benson Forer, Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom and Venice Family Clinic Medical Director Karen Lamp, MD.
By Keila Perez, medical volunteer When I was a child, my family migrated to the United States from Guatemala and settled in Koreatown. Growing up, I saw my parents work two jobs each in order to make ends meet. I remember my grandmother watching my brother and me at night so my parents could work the graveyard shift. At the beginning of the school year my parents would rush to have us vaccinated. Since we didn't have insurance, we relied on free clinics. I clearly recall when my brother or I had flu-like symptoms, they would tell us that "being sick was a luxury for us." It wasn't until I was fourteen and my brother was admitted to the hospital for appendicitis that I truly understood what my parents meant. As the eldest daughter, I translated and filled out the necessary paperwork and was amazed that my brother wasn't denied treatment. Seeing my parents’ situation, I decided then that I wanted to pursue a medical career and help others who were uninsured. After graduating high school, I began volunteering at Venice Family Clinic as a Santa Monica College student. I started in medical records but soon became a volunteer clinical assistant. Even when time was tight I always found the hours to volunteer at least once a week. When I’m in the clinic, I am always encouraged by the grateful expressions of the patients during and after their visits with our doctors. I have shared bus rides with patients and many tell me they have taken four buses or three-hour bus rides with children to come to Venice Family Clinic because of the care they receive. They know they are part of our family. As a pre-med student at UCLA with health coverage for the first time, I am even more convinced that instead of sickness being a luxury—as it had been for me growing up—access to quality medical care should be a basic right. I hope to come back to Venice Family Clinic as a doctor so I can be a part of the solution.
Patients, Staff Speak Out at Congressional Press Conference Venice Family Clinic staff, patients, board members and community leaders joined Congressman Henry A. Waxman (CA-33) on September 24 at a press conference on the Affordable Care Act at our Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center. Congressman Waxman released a new report on the impact of health care reform in Los Angeles County that found that 2.2 million uninsured Los Angeles residents will have access to health coverage for the first time when the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented in 2014. “I am so proud to see that the law I worked so hard to pass is improving the lives of so many Los Angeles County residents,” announced Congressman Waxman. “The Affordable Care Act is the promise of health for thousands of families across our community,” confirmed Elizabeth Benson Forer, executive director and CEO of Venice Family Clinic. “For the first time ever, many of Venice Family Clinic’s patients—young adults, working parents, and seniors— will now have access to health insurance.”
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’m able to come to Venice Family Clinic to get the care I need and know that I will not have an expensive medical bill that I cannot afford,” explained patient Denise Horton.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’m able to come to Venice Family Clinic to get the care I need and know that I will not have an expensive medical bill that I cannot afford.” — Denise Horton Venice Family Clinic patient
“Because of health care reform, the day is coming when we, as doctors, can focus our energies on caring for our patients rather than scrambling around trying to piece together a ‘system’ of health care for our uninsured patients,” declared Karen Lamp, MD, medical director of Venice Family Clinic. “Our patients can now have confidence in a healthy future for themselves and their families.” 3
Patients Speak Out! Venice Family Clinic Conducts Its Latest Patient Survey. Here’s What We Learned.
“Since Venice Family Clinic was established more than forty years ago, “We felt it was important to we have conducted formal surveys to learn more about our patients’ health give our patients an care and how we’re doing in providing opportunity to provide direct health care services,” says Elizabeth feedback on the ‘patient Benson Forer, Executive Director and experience’ so that we can CEO of Venice Family Clinic. “We felt it was important to give our patients learn and improve from their an opportunity to provide direct responses.” feedback on the ‘patient experience’ — Elizabeth Benson Forer so that we can learn and improve Venice Family Clinic, Executive from their responses. We often get Director and CEO so busy running the Clinic and seeing patients that it can be easy to focus on all the things that still need our attention rather than the progress we’ve made or the things we’re doing right. Based on these survey results, we’re encouraged that our patients are overwhelmingly happy with the job we’re doing—even as we strive to improve the health service experience from making an appointment to checking out.” “We are thrilled that our patients are happy with the care they receive from our physicians, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, clinic staff and volunteers,” confirms Dr. Karen Lamp, Medical Director of Venice Family Clinic. “Each day we work with fewer resources to provide quality care to patients whose medical needs are increasingly more complex. It can be easy to feel that we aren’t spending enough time with each patient. We’re striving to make the ‘patientcentered medical home’ approach a reality in our patients’ lives and this
Average Response
Usually or always
“How often did Venice Family Clinic doctors spend enough time with you?”
“How often did Venice Family Clinic doctors explain things in a way that was easy to understand?”
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied were you with being able to see Venice Family Clinic doctors or health providers when you needed care in the last 12 months?”
Usually or always
Photos: Margaret Molloy and Christopher Johnson
As adult patients checked into Venice Family Clinic’s seven clinical locations this spring, many were asked to rate and rank their health care service experience on Venice Family Clinic’s latest patient survey, an extensive questionnaire presented in both English and Spanish. The survey covered a range of topics including medical treatment by doctors, providers and specialists; health coverage and the community health insurance program; appointments and wait times; and overall questions regarding the respondent’s health, family and frequency of clinic visits.
Average Response
“On a scale of 1 to 10, what number would you use to rate Venice Family Clinic doctors or health providers?”
feedback from our patients is a great starting point for that. We were particularly encouraged by the survey findings that 83% of our patients feel we usually or always spend enough time with them and that 92% of our patients feel that our doctors and health providers usually or always listen carefully to their concerns.”
identified and properly enrolled. The fact that patients gave an average rank of 9.2 out of 10 to the services provided by the community health insurance program is a credit to my staff’s persistence and dedication to work through the kinks of the process without making access to care unnecessarily difficult for our patients.”
Health Enrollment and Insurance
Looking Ahead
In addition to our patients’ experience once they get inside the medical treatment room, the survey also polled patients on their experience working with our health insurance enrollment team to understand their eligibility for health coverage programs, complete the enrollment process and renew their coverage before expiration deadlines.
“As we work to build community support for the services we provide to families across Los Angeles, these survey results help us to know what we’re doing well,” says Laney Kapgan, Development Director and Chief Development Officer. “These results also help us to identify those areas that need additional resources to provide quality health care to all those in need. We are grateful to our supporters who directly impact the health of thousands in our community.”
“My team is tasked with helping our patients understand the various coverage options, provide assistance in enrolling them, and make sure the entire enrollment or renewal process has been successfully completed,” explains Karen Lauterbach, Manager of Venice Family Clinic’s Community Health Insurance Program. “Given the continued challenges with Healthy Way LA, we’ve had to dedicate additional staff and resources to make sure eligible patients are
Note: Venice Family Clinic dental services were not polled in this survey.
VFC Patient Board Member Ashley Johnson Speaks Out! “The quality of care that the Clinic provides is as good as any personal, private doctor’s office. Now that I have a chance to be involved as a board member, I can help make decisions that ensure a strong future for years to come.” 5
Words into Action: My Mitzvah Project By Abigail Nathanson For my Bat Mitzvah project, I really wanted to do something that was important to me. I decided to help Venice Family Clinic. My parents and grandparents are supporters of the clinic, and they told me that the Clinic provides health care to 24,000 men, women and children each year in Los Angeles. For my project I decided to focus on the children. At the clinic on Rose Avenue, there is a waiting room just for children. When I visited the waiting room I saw that there were not enough books, toys, or games for the kids to play with while they waited. So I contacted all of my friends and family and asked them to donate gently used items. The response was overwhelming. I am so proud that over 60 people made generous donations towards my project! I received so many books and toys that it was scary to walk into my garage! Not only did friends and family donate, but I also received hundreds of new books from Scholastic Books in New York City. With the help of donations and a portion of my Bat Mitzvah gifts, my family and I decided to give the children’s waiting room a complete makeover. On the weekend of October 26th, the room was cleaned and painted with the help of family, friends and volunteers. Book shelves were put up, along with a train table, doll house, and a brand new flat screen TV. Then all of the donated boxes of books and toys were brought in, and by the end of the weekend the room looked brand new. I had a lot of fun with my Bat Mitzvah project. I learned that if you want to accomplish something that matters you have to work hard. And I learned that if you ask people for help, they will give it you.
Please use the enclosed envelope to support
Children’s Holiday Movie Please be sure to indicate “CHM” in the Comments/Questions
VFC Physician Shares Her Children’s Holiday Movie Story Dr. Margarita Loeza, MD—former Venice Family Clinic patient, current Venice Family Clinic physician and chief medical information officer Each December, over 1,000 underprivileged patients and children from neighborhood schools and local homeless shelters are treated to a holiday celebration with presents, pictures with Santa, and a film screening at Venice Family Clinic’s Children’s Holiday Movie. As a little girl, my parents had no health insurance and they relied on Venice Family Clinic for our family’s health care. My siblings and I were so excited to attend Children’s Holiday Movie and watch Pete’s Dragon. In fact, I still remember the donated Ballerina Barbie I was given. She had a tiny crown and a bouquet of roses. It’s amazing that Mattel continues their support to this day! Children’s Holiday Movie raises more than $100,000 for pediatric programs and helps kids feel special and loved— and they’ll cherish the experience for the rest of their lives. After all, you just never know which of those smiling faces will become future teachers, engineers or even doctors.
Major Gifts April 21 to October 29, 2012 $100,000 + California Community Foundation The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation Dream Fund Kaiser Permanente of Southern California L.A. Care Health Plan Wilbur May Foundation* Anita May Rosenstein & Arnold Rosenstein Brian Rosenstein Amanda May Stefan The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation The Resnick Family Foundation* Lynda & Stewart Resnick Dr. William Resnick Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System Mission Fund Saint John’s Health Center UniHealth Foundation* Weingart Foundation Ziering Family Foundation* Marilyn Ziering Anonymous $50,000 to $99,999 The Eisner Foundation* The Fineshriber Family Foundation Gilead Sciences, Inc The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation* QueensCare UCLA Health System $25,000 to $49,999 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Center for Oral Health The Dharma Grace Foundation Chuck Lorre Robert Downey Jr. Patricia & William Flumenbaum* The Karl Kirchgessner Foundation Susan G. Komen for the Cure Marcled Foundation Molle Living Trust William & Leah Molle Jeffrey E. Sinaiko* Frederick R. Weisman Philanthropic & Art Foundation Billie Milam Weisman Anonymous $10,000 to $24,999 Blue Shield of California Foundation Charities Aid Foundation Lisbet Rausing & Peter Baldwin Dr. Mayer B. Davidson & Roseann Herman, Esq. Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation The Richard F. Dwyer - Eleanor W Dwyer Fund Friends of the Culver City Youth Health Center Gumpert Foundation Mark Hagen Health Net of California Maria Hernandez & Henry Kamberg Jacob Kassay Major League Baseball Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation
NBC Universal in memory of Coach Tom Martinez Rebecca Pollack Parker & Hutch Parker Quiksilver The Gary Saltz Foundation Sathya Sai Society of America Sawchuk Family Foundation Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Sunair Children's Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation Anonymous * Towards a multi-year commitment Permanent Endowments Judy & Bernard Briskin Women’s Health Endowment Irma and Lou Colen Physician Endowment Mose and Sylvia Firestone Social Work Endowment Karsten Family Domestic Violence Endowment Sadie and Norman Lee Teen Clinic Physician Endowment Milken Family Physician Endowment Resnick Family Mental Health Program Endowment Jack H. Skirball Medical Director Endowment Gail and Irv Weintraub Endowment Frederick R. Weisman Psychosocial Services Endowment Ziegler Family Trust Legacy Society Robert C. Aronoff Katherine Bard Irma & Louis Colen Mayer B. Davidson, MD, & Roseann Herman, Esq. Sylvia & Mose Firestone, PhD Patricia & William Flumenbaum Elizabeth & Daniel Forer Elaine Hoffman Joanne Jubelier, PhD Satish Kadaba, MD Marilyn H. Karsten Amita & Viren Mehta William & Leah Molle Carol Mortier Charlotte Neumann, MD, & Alfred Neumann, MD Janet Papkin Maida Richards Stanley Richards Fern & Robert Seizer Jeffrey E. Sinaiko Leonard Stone Ina Tillman Beatrice Zeiger Anonymous If your name is not listed, it is listed improperly, or you have already named the Clinic as a beneficiary in your estate plan, please call 310.664.7932 so the correction can be made.
People, Places, and Things
From left to right: Hsuan-ying Chou, Jay Mark Johnson, Elizabeth Benson Forer, Camryn Manheim and Kim Gordon. Photo: Pierre Auroux
L&M Arts brought artists and collectors together for GHOST TOWN on July 15th! Over $70,000 was raised to benefit Venice Family Clinic. Guests including event creator and local artist Drew Heitzler, L&M Director Sarah Watson, Molly Shannon, and committee members Rebecca Bloom, Julie Bowen, Tracy Feith, Meredith Darrow, Bettina Korek and Erin Wasson enjoyed works from John Baldessari, Sam Durant, Mark Hagen, Jacob Kassay, Shio Kusaka, Wes Lang, Olivier Mosset, and Allen Ruppersberg. The event featured food from Abbot Kinney hotspot Gjelina, oyster gourmet Christophe Happillon, and performances by Haim, Tenacious D and Elijah Wood.
The 2013 Venice Art Walk & Auctions season was officially kicked off November 1st with a private reception and Elizabeth Benson Forer and tour of “Pop Billie Milam Weisman. Culture,” an Photo: Ray Chavez exhibit curated by VFC Philanthropy Board Member Billie Milam Weisman at Pepperdine’s Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. Angels and artists including Jim Budman, Jean Edelstein, Jay Mark Johnson, Jacob Kassay, Andy Moses, Kelly Berg, Barbara Schwan and John Van Hamersveld enjoyed the event.
Every dollar counts! Through the end of 2012, stop by Whole Foods Venice cash registers and donate to Venice Family Clinic. Also, visit Starbucks Coffee locations between Malibu and 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica to drop off a toy for our Children’s Holiday Movie.
Venice Family Clinic headed to the Malibu shore on October 3rd for a private beach house event featuring Jimmy Choo’s Autumn Winter From left to right: Audrey Ruth, 2012 Collection. Barrie Livingstone and Suzette Kalatchi. Photo: Chris Johnson Hosted by Audrey Ruth and Barrie Livingstone, the event raised critical funds for the Clinic, with well-heeled guests making sure our patients would be well-healed in the year ahead!
Just in time for holiday shopping! VFC Philanthropy Board member Chuck Lorre, creator of The Big Bang Theory, Two Photo: Warner Bros. Television Entertainment/Chris Frawley and a Half Men, Dharma & Greg and Mike & Molly released his first book entitled What Doesn’t Kill Us, Makes Us Bitter – with proceeds benefitting Venice Family Clinic!
Retailers on Abbot Kinney, GQ’s “Coolest Block in America,” support Venice Family Clinic! Ilan Dei Venice launched a new exhibition and store, Moving LA: People Powered Design, with an opening celebration on October 11th. On November 15th, Burning Torch will host an event at their first-ever retail store. Sales proceeds from both benefit Venice Family Clinic. A perfect chance to jump start your holiday shopping!
On October 27th, NOVA Medical Products helped more than 30 Venice Family Clinic patients live life to the fullest by outfitting them with brandnew donated wheelchairs, walkers, designer canes and specialized mobility equipment— along with wheelchairs for use at our health centers across Los Angeles.
From left to right: Rhonda Lantz-Teichert of Bloomingdale’s, Chris Griffiths, Amy Eldon Turteltaub, Melinda Maria and Rebecca Gayheart Dane. Photo: Rob Latour
Celebrity jewelry designer Melinda Maria joined Bloomingdale’s Santa Monica Place on October 19th for an unforgettable Sack Lunch Series event that raised nearly $10,000 for Venice Family Clinic. Thanks to our amazing host committee including SLS Founder Chris Griffiths, Amy Eldon Turteltaub, Rebecca Gayheart Dane, Irena Medavoy, Deidre Gordon, and of course, our incredible hosts at Bloomingdale’s Santa Monica Place!
Venice Family Clinic took to the streets for AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Sunday, October 14th and the American Lung Team Venice Family Clinic Association’s AIDS Walk Participants Fight for Air Walk on Sunday, October 21st! Our teams raised funds and awareness for Venice Family Clinic’s health care services for patients and asthma care programs for children and adults across our community.
Thanks to Children’s Holiday Movie committee member Amanda Callen, Venice Family Clinic was the beneficiary of Dane Cook. an all-star comedy night at the world-famous Laugh Factory on November 1st. The amazing lineup of comedians included Dane Cook, Chris D’elia and Bill Dawes. 7
Artist
CARDS
S E N D A M E S S AG E O F LO V E .
S U P P O R T O U R M I S S I O N O F H E ALT H .
View the collection at venicefamilyclinic.org and purchase today!
LA Panorama, Peter Alexander
In Memory of Venice Family Clinic’s Recently Departed Supporters Carol Abrams, Gregory G. Baker, Henry Bamberger, Dr. Irving H. Berkovitz, Elliot Caplow, Stephen Edward Claman, Arthur Clark, Celia Rae (Hittelman) Frimkess, Irwin H. Garfinkel, Mildred “Middie” C. Giesberg, Eric Hirschowitz, Dr. Harold Howard, Dorothy E. Kaplan, Veronika Lineberry, Stanley Miller, Yvonne Mounsey, Ursula H. Neusom, John F. Nicholson, Edward I. Raphael, Vidal Sassoon, Madrian “Mady” Schneider, Jane Cole Scott, Annette Simons, Lloyd Lawrence (Larry) Sloan, Dr. Jerome “Jerry” Tepperman, Phd, Milton Melville Weiss, Richard Zanuck
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