Culture and health intensives - AM

Description of Presentation:

About HealthEast: HealthEast is the largest healthcare provider in the Twin Cities East Metro area. Its primary service market is one of the most racially, culturally and linguistically diverse markets in the State of Minnesota. Comprised of four hospitals, twelve clinics, homecare and outpatient services, HealthEast has nearly 7,000 employees. The Roselawn Clinic cares for some of the most culturally and linguistically diverse patients in the HealthEast system.

Overview: This seminar will describe the efforts of HealthEast’s Roselawn Clinic to respond to the healthcare needs of the KaRen immigrants. The KaRen people are an indigenous group who live primarily in the mountainous areas of Burma. For over 50 years, the villagers have struggled under the rule of the military government of Burma. Many KaRen have fled the country and live in refugee camps in Thailand. Recently, many of the refugees have resettled in St. Paul, Minnesota. Attendees will learn how Roselawn Clinic has responded to the healthcare needs of the recent influx of KaRen refugees. The organization’s story will be told by Dr. James Letts, MD, a family medicine physician at the clinic; Mona Walden-Frey, Clinic Manager, and Pawwah Toe, the KaRen Interpreter/Cultural Liaison for the Roselawn Clinic. We hope to share with other attendees how we have sought to provide quality healthcare to patients who have had little or no access to medical care, who are unfamiliar with the Western healthcare system, and are in need of language services when limited interpreters are available. We will discuss our efforts to work in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health and Ramsey County to provide the education and services needed by this group of immigrants. Most importantly, we will talk about our partnership with the KaRen community.