Serving the Community | 30 Days, 30 Clinicians

[Editor’s Note: Happy Birthday, Migrant Clinicians Network! To celebrate our 30th anniversary this month, we are highlighting one clinician each day who has been honored in 30 Clinicians Making a Difference​​​, in which we profile the work of 30 diverse migrant clinicians from across the country and abroad.]

Earlier this month, Dr. Ed Zuroweste, MCN’s Medical Director, gave a talk about Health Network’s TB Net -- the portion of our bridge case management system that focuses on patients with tuberculosis -- at the 2015 National Health Care of the Homeless Conference and Policy Symposium. Although homeless populations are not often at the forefront of the discussion about mobile populations, they are, like many migrants, an impoverished and disadvantaged group, many of whom are in need of regular medical care but are unable to attain it, due to their mobile living situation.

“Technically, all migrants are homeless because they don’t have stable housing, or have inadequate housing,” Dr. Zuroweste noted. Clinicians focusing on migrant and homeless patients often address the two populations with a similar outlook and with parallel approaches to their health care provision, Dr. Zuroweste added.

One clinician who has spent decades with both populations is Dr. Sal Sandoval in Planada, California, one of our 30 Clinicians Making a Difference. Dr. Sandoval is well loved in his farmworker community for his compassionate care. His focus has shifted over the years from farmworker care to his current much-needed work with the homeless clinic that he developed. In his profile, he explores the difficulty of continuity of care and other complications that arise when working with the homeless in his community. He also clearly exudes a deep love for, and deep connections to, his community and the patients that have stayed with him for decades. Read Dr. Sandoval’s profile here.

Help us honor the work of Dr. Sandoval by sharing his profile. And, make sure to check out the profiles of all 30 clinicians at the 30 Clinicians Making a Difference webpage.

Like our work? Consider making a donation to MCN to celebrate our 30th anniversary.