Creating a Clinic: Review of Demographics and Common Diagnoses at the Crossroads Student Outreach Clinic

Abstract

Research Objective & Hypothesis This study aims to identify and analyze patient demographics and conditions treated at a new student outreach clinic. We hypothesized the clinic would primarily serve patients who were Spanish-speaking, seeking care for chronic conditions, and had transportation barriers.

Background The Crossroads Student Outreach Clinic (SOC) is a free clinic that offers healthcare to underserved patients in the Greater Lafayette area. The clinic is run by IUSM-WL students along with Arnett family medicine residents and faculty. The clinic is made possible through a partnership with IU Health Arnett and occurs at the residency clinic once monthly.

Methods & Design Patients completed an intake form self-reporting demographic information, medical history, primary health goals, and barriers to care. Data collection from each patient included chief complaints and diagnoses addressed at the visit. Patients were also given a seven-question quality survey. Categorical data was analyzed using frequency tables and age demographics were analyzed using group frequency tables.

Results Since October 2023, 31 patients have been seen. Most patients were aged 30-49 years old (39%), of Hispanic ethnicity (42%), and reported English as their primary language (58%), followed by Spanish (36%). The most common reason for an appointment was a wellness check (42%). The most frequent diagnoses corresponded to the following systems: gastrointestinal (26%), reproductive (26%), psychiatric (23%). The most common diagnoses were hypertension (13%) and depression (13%). Twenty-seven patients completed the survey (87%). Most patients strongly agreed to all questions: ease of appointment scheduling (96%), accessibility via provided transportation (74%), medical competency of staff (93%), respectful treatment (100%), prescription fulfillment (52%), likelihood of recommending to others (93%), and overall satisfaction (85%).

Conclusion The Crossroads SOC serves a diverse group of individuals, with many patients seeking preventative care and treatment for chronic conditions. With many appointments consisting of wellness visits, we aim to implement more screening tools, vaccination resources, and point-of-care labs.