Everyone Needs a Little Help Now and Then
Adam had been managing a chronic condition for many years. His symptoms had remained fairly controlled until recently when they began to worsen. Rather than seeing a doctor at the first sign of trouble, Adam wanted to try to take care of his symptoms on his own. He was only working part-time, didn’t have health insurance, and couldn’t afford to pay a medical bill.
Eventually, Adam’s symptoms worsened and he knew he needed medical care fast. Adam went to the Emergency Department at Aurora BayCare Medical Center and was admitted for an inpatient stay.
Adam reached out to the hospital’s financial advocate, who met with him in his room to complete a financial assessment.
“Adam was really worried about how he was going to pay the bills for the care he needed,” the Financial Advocate said. “So I immediately walked him through a financial assessment to see what programs were available to help.”
Following the financial assessment, the advocate was able to approve Adam for a 100% discount on his medical bills through the Aurora Health Care Patient Financial Assistance Program. The Advocate shared: “Adam was so grateful we were able to approve him for financial assistance.” He continued, “Helping people in this way is what makes my job so special.”
Expanding Access through Partnerships
Access, a signature community benefit focus for all Aurora Health Care hospital community health implementation strategies across our Wisconsin footprint. One of the ways we expand access is through building long-term, sustainable, impactful collaborations with community-focused partners.
The N.E.W. Community Clinic is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) whose mission is to provide access to quality, comprehensive, and compassionate healthcare for low-income and uninsured individuals and families in the Green Bay area. The clinic, which now provides care through multiple clinic sites, celebrated its 52nd anniversary in July 2023.
Aurora BayCare Medical Center is a long-time supporter of the N.E.W. Clinic, underwriting Dr. Yolo Diaz’s position as a clinic provider since 2001. Dr. Diaz has grown into a trusted member of the Green Bay community, especially amongst Hispanic community members. Through her work as a bilingual provider, she breaks down language and cultural barriers for the patients she serves, communicating directly with patients about their care in their preferred language. She also works closely with other community-focused organizations including local school districts, the WIC program, Family Services, Birth to Three, and Casa Alba Melanie to coordinate medical, behavioral and social health for her patients.
During 2022, Dr. Diaz completed 1,004 patient visits at N.E.W. Community Clinic. This total included visits for 372 new clinic patients.
