Room to Grow
Gillette’s new adult-care
clinic to offer expanded services
by
Kate Edenborg
This month, Gillette Lifetime
Specialty Healthcare will begin offering
clinical services at a new location. The St. Paul –Phalen
clinic, opening March 5th, will be twice as big as its New Brighton predecessor.
Five years ago, that
pilot clinic was opened for teens and adults who were diagnosed
during childhood with conditions that result in functional limitations.
Although patients’ needs—and
the services provided—have grown since then, the location’s
size limited what the staff could offer.
“Our new larger space will support the expansion of services,
such as therapeutic recreation and dietary programs,” says
Ronna Linroth, manager of adult outpatient services at Gillette Lifetime.
In addition, a medical
director, Robert Wagner, M.D has been added. “We
are a highly collaborative, integrated clinic, where patients often
get a one-stop shopping experience,” says Wagner. “Patients
with a defined condition, such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida,
do best receiving care with an interdisciplinary approach, where
their health-care providers all are available in the same space.”
Specialized Care
Medical specialists increasingly recognize that adult patients have
different health-care needs than pediatric patients. The new clinic
will provide even more focused, integrated care for its adult patients,
including people with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and neuromuscular
conditions, as well as those seeking post-polio and young-adult
services.
“Conditions that affect the entire body should be addressed
by providers with a depth of knowledge,” Wagner says. “Our
specialists have that depth, and are able to see patterns that allow
them to ask key questions and take the proper steps to ensure the
best possible care.”
An integrated approach
to care goes well beyond coordinating appointments with multiple
providers. The integrated-team model helps clinic staff address
patients’ social, emotional and functional needs. It
also includes having conversations with the patient and caregivers
to create a long-term plan for the patient’s care.
Space Accommodations
While the new clinic offers many of the services available at other
Gillette locations, it does so in an environment tailored to adults.
For example, the clinic has the equipment and trained staff necessary
to lift, transfer, weigh, and otherwise accommodate adult patients
needs.
Wagner stresses that
the new location improves efficiency for patients and staff. “We often have the necessary staff and resources
right in the next room,” Wagner says. “For example, if
we realize during an appointment that someone needs a seating consultation,
we can call in a seating practitioner right then.”
The relocating also
enhances the patient-friendly environment. “The
new space allows us to meet the privacy needs of adolescents and
young adults, and the increasing social-service needs of adults as
they age,” says Carol Nelson, clinic social worker.
Closer to “Home”
Gillette also sought the benefits of having the clinic closer to
their main location. “Our patients and families have a strong
connection with the St. Paul clinic, and our relocation closer
to the St. Paul site will improve access to other services and
collaborations with specialists,” Linroth says.
The new clinic’s proximity to the St. Paul campus also might
help ease the transition for Gillette patients who are moving from
pediatric to adult care. “We have the luxury of continuing
to see patients who have been with us as children,” Wagner
says. “We provide them with the quality care they’ve
come to expect—and need.” ![]()
For information about Gillette Lifetime Specialty Healthcare, call
651-636-9443 or visit www.gillettechildrens.org
