Community Voices Initiative Series
Uphams Corner Health Center
Roksana Pirog, Marketing and Promotions Manager for the Uphams Corner
Health Center, represents the health center and the community in
lauding the work of one of their employees, Roberto Beltran.
"The
Health Center was pleased that one of their model, hardworking
employees, Roberto Beltran, was interviewed, especially about his work
with the geriatric populations of Dorchester and profiled by the
Federal Government’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS).
The Health Center thanks him for his dedication to his health care role
and his excellent relationship with his patients. Thank you,
Roberto. "
Roksana asked that Uphams Corner News let everyone know about Mr. Beltran’s work - perfect for our Community Voices Initiative.
About Roberto Beltran
Roberto is a member of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), a
program managed by HHS. The NHSC is a group of dedicated health
service professionals who have agreed to serve patients with limited
access to health care while also getting access to educational,
training and networking opportunities. Ostensibly, the biggest
benefit is the opportunity to pay off all students loans with continued
service. Quite often, the biggest benefit is the sense of having
contributed to improve the lives of others.
Roberto says his approach is always to treat the whole person and not
just his or her medical needs. "In urgent care, I see poverty and all
the challenges that people have—it’s tough. Getting to know patients
and what their life is like allows you to treat them better. … He adds
that he also benefits from the relationship with his geriatric
patients. "It’s like having 40 or more grandparents! Having them all
sharing their lives and experiences brings insight into my own life,
and I can learn from them."
As you will read in this profile of Roberto, he has enjoyed his
service with the Uphams Corner Health Center so much that he plans to
continue working with them when his formal commitment ends.
To read the original article and to learn more about the NHSC, click here.
Full Excerpt from Health & Human Services Website
You may already know
Roberto Beltran, at least by sight—he is one of the Corps’ members
featured on the NHSC Facebook page and in marketing materials. Born in
Peru, Roberto’s journey to primary care began at an early age when he
used some of his grandfather’s hypodermic needles to water plants
through intra-stem injections. He left Peru with his family at age 11,
during the height of terrorist activity in that country. They settled
in Massachusetts, originally living with his aunt before moving to
Belmont, a small and relatively affluent residential suburb west of
Boston.
"Being an immigrant, it was difficult to assimilate," says Roberto,
recalling challenges he faced growing up. "I was different from other
kids, had to overcome cultural differences, and was in ESL (English as
a Second Language) for three years."
It was those experiences, his parents’ example of helping newly-arrived
immigrant families become established and the influence of his
relationship with his primary care nurse practitioner that led to
Roberto’s interest in working in primary care. He studied biology with
pre-med at Boston University and earned his master’s in nursing with a
concentration in family medicine from Regis College. It was while
working as an EMT that Roberto decided that becoming a Nurse
Practitioner would give him the hands-on interaction with patients he
was looking for, as well as flexibility for different types of work in
health care.
He worked for two years at Upham’s Corner Health Center before hearing
about the NHSC through a colleague. He joined the Corps in 2008 and
received his most recent NHSC loan repayment award in 2011.
Roberto completed his four years of service in July 2012, but he plans
on remaining at his site. "The great thing about the LRP is that it
helps you through the first tough years of getting established working
while trying to pay off loans," says Roberto. "It’s challenging to work
in this setting, but I’m comfortable where I am and plan to stay here."
Upham’s clinic in urban Dorchester serves a diverse population and on
any given day, Roberto finds himself switching between Spanish,
English, and the Portuguese-based Creole he’s learning from the Cape
Verde immigrants who make up one-third of the clinic’s patients. Some
of his time is spent seeing walk-in patients in the urgent care
department, and Roberto is proud of his work to improve work flow
systems to enable patients being seen quicker. "We would like to
maximize the capability for walk-in care and want people to come to
their community health centers and not the ER."
But, most of Roberto’s time is spent in geriatric care, which includes
home visits for some patients. As clinical coordinator for the
geriatrics program, Roberto oversees a staff of six and works with the
clinic’s primary care providers to deliver interdisciplinary and
integrated care to patients.
Roberto says his approach is always to treat the whole person and not
just his or her medical needs. "In urgent care, I see poverty and all
the challenges that people have—it’s tough. Getting to know patients
and what their life is like allows you to treat them better. For our
older patients, allowing enough time with them and getting to know what
is going on in their lives is critical in understanding where their
medical needs fit in. I want to help them, not just write the script."
He adds that he also benefits from the relationship with his geriatric
patients. "It’s like having 40 or more grandparents! Having them all
sharing their lives and experiences brings insight into my own life,
and I can learn from them."
Roberto says working at Upham’s has increased both his understanding of
people and appreciation for the opportunities he’s been given. "This
community has challenges, is poor, and underserved. It’s humbling that
with what you have, you can help others live better lives. Working here
long enough, I can see the difference in patients and know that I’ve
made a contribution."
|