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We'd like to introduce you to Janelle, one of the patients who received life-saving care.

Yanet* lives in a house with three other adults and is supported by their partner. They are Spanish-speaking and like most of our patients, has no health insurance.

Yanet has been a long-time patient with Project Access Northwest and has seen Kaiser Permanente providers for multiple years. They were originally referred to us through their primary care provider at HealthPoint in Seatac.

Crippling back pain is what brought Yanet to the doctor and there was suspicion that it was a gastro-intestinal issue.  Their provider at Kaiser Permanente ordered an upper endoscopy and a colonoscopy to see if they could get to the source of pain. Through these exams and tests, it was found that they had gastroparesis (a condition that affects the normal movement of the muscles in your stomach). They received information on how to manage this problem and was returned to the care of their primary care provider.

A few weeks later it was clear that while they struggled with gastroparesis, it was not the source of their pain. They were then referred to orthopedics and x-rays were done of their back, hips and shoulders. Through these tests and exams, they determined that Yanet needed a shoulder replacement and a hip replacement. Surgeries that simply aren’t affordable to vulnerable patients without insurance. Complicating their situation, Yanet was obese, and their diabetes was not well controlled and they were not a candidate for surgery without progress on both fronts. Yanet was then referred to Physical Therapy and Nutritional counseling to see if those could help.

We are pleased to report that after these supports were put in place, Yanet has lost considerable weight, has gotten her diabetes under control and now has a referral to return to Kaiser Permanente for her surgeries that are anticipated for this year. Surgeries that will cost them nothing and yet, will return them to full function and the life they knew before significant pain.

When we asked Yanet what they would have done if not for the partnership between Project Access Northwest and Kaiser Permanente they shared, “I could not have done anything. There was no other help for me out there.”

Several members of the Project Access Northwest team coordinated the care for Yanet. We had more than 100 “touches” (pieces of work) related to their care and appointments and that number will rise as they continue her treatment. The entire team at Project Access Northwest appreciates the close partnership with Kaiser Permanente and is grateful that Yanet is getting wonderful care in the Kaiser Permanente system.

*name and pronoun changed to protect privacy, but consent was provided to share their story