A Place to Call Home
The Vasek Polak Health Clinic

The theme song of “Cheers”, the television hit comedy of the early ‘90s, resonated with neighborhood locals across the nation. The lyrics reminded people of belonging, of being at home. “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”

That same longing to be “where everybody knows your name” is experienced by many in southern California looking for a medical home. Southlanders with limited access to primary care include not only the uninsured, but also the underinsured — small business, part-time and service industry workers who have rising health insurance premiums, high deductibles or co-pays.

As access to care becomes more difficult, many patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease delay important check-ups, causing them to utilize Providence Little Company of Mary emergency rooms in San Pedro and Torrance when they develop disease-related symptoms they can no longer ignore. [Read More]