OneWest Foundation, UCLA Health System grant $600,000 for helping low-income patients obtain medical care

Thanks to a generous three-year, $300,000 grant from the OneWest Foundation — matched by funds from the UCLA Health System — qualified Venice Family Clinic patients who need hospitalization or specialized medical care may now be helped by a pilot project launched by the foundation, the clinic and the UCLA Health System.

“It gives me great satisfaction to know that OneWest is playing a vital role in advancing the UCLA Health Sciences' mission of research, education, patient care and public service, as well as the Venice Family Clinic's commitment to patient care”

"Currently, there is a fragmented system in place to ensure access to specialty and inpatient care for low-income patients seen at Venice Family Clinic," said Dr. David Feinberg, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor. "As a result, complex medical conditions are often only partially diagnosed, and interventional care is frequently delayed until it becomes critical or life-threatening. Patients end up in the Los Angeles County health system, where medical resources and the expertise to deal with the underlying causes are in very limited supply, or they are treated in the emergency room, which is the most expensive form of health care.

"This pilot project's goal is to provide integrated primary care, specialty care and tertiary care at the right time and in the right medical setting — and to make a true difference in people’s lives."

The Pasadena, Calif.–based OneWest Foundation is committed to investing in organizations that help build stronger communities. This grant will support low- to moderate-income patients who lack private insurance and do not qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare coverage through the pilot project by making a gift pledge through The UCLA Foundation.

"It gives me great satisfaction to know that OneWest is playing a vital role in advancing the UCLA Health Sciences' mission of research, education, patient care and public service, as well as the Venice Family Clinic's commitment to patient care,” said Steven T. Mnuchin, chairman of the OneWest Foundation. "We are proud to help make a difference in the lives of those in our community."

The pilot project will help those patients seen at Venice Family Clinic’s new Colen Family Health Center in Mar Vista who do not have private insurance or qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare coverage, and who require specialty care and hospitalization, to secure ongoing treatment at the UCLA Health System. The Colen Family Health Center will open in March 2010 and will serve 4,000 people annually. Roughly 74 percent of the Colen Family Health Center's patients are expected to meet the criteria for this initiative.

"The health systems that work best are those that are integrated and located in the community where patients live," said Liz Forer, CEO of Venice Family Clinic. "This collaboration between Venice Family Clinic and the UCLA Health System will expand the options available to our patients, reduce health care treatment costs and improve health outcomes."

The joint venture is intended to establish the value and efficacy of providing coordinated inpatient and outpatient care to low-income patients. UCLA and Venice Family Clinic will assess the impact of the program annually. At the conclusion of the initial three-year period, UCLA and the clinic will explore the viability of pursuing a more permanent solution.