In a three-way collaboration, a new monthly primary care clinic in Tomball, Texas, gives the underserved in the community access to high-quality health care.
Run by medical students at Texas A&M University School of Medicine, physicians with Houston Methodist Primary Care Group at Willowbrook oversee the operations at the TOMAGWA Tomball clinic. Patients can schedule an appointment at the monthly clinic to receive primary care exams, get point-of-care labs and request prescriptions. Routine visits and chronic disease management will continue to be overseen by TOMAGWA practitioners during normal business hours.
“We are so grateful for this partnership and collaboration,” said Stephanie Bruce, MD, assistant site dean at Houston Methodist Willowbrook for Texas A&M School of Medicine. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to have learnings and experiences outside of the hospital setting, while also giving back to the community.”
Although a consistent schedule is still to be determined, the next two clinic times will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 21, both from 8 a.m. to noon. Appointments are required, and the clinic will see TOMAGWA patients who participate in the sliding fee discount program (SFDP), have traditional Medicaid or traditional Medicare.
“There are more than 142,000 uninsured people in our region, and TOMAGWA remains the single charitable provider,” said Timika Simmons, TOMAGWA CEO. “It made sense to collaborate with our two strongest care delivery partners to expand primary care services in a region that has a uniquely great need, while exposing future health care professionals to community-based care.”