Two clinics working to increase access to healthcare in SE Colorado Springs

A couple of local clinics have worked to increase accessibility for people in southeast Colorado Springs.

WATCHING OUT FOR YOU--THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED MANYCHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.AND IN SOUTHEAST COLORADOSPRINGS..ONE OF THOSE IS ACCESSTO HEALTHCARE.BUT A COUPLE OF LOCAL CLINICSHAVE WORKED TO INCREASEACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE IN THEAREA-- ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMESTO GETTING VACCINES.IT'S A QUIET AFTERNOON IN THISBUILDING.."I DON'T KNOW- IT'S A LITTLESKETCH"WITH POPCORN BUTTERINGMACHINES..POSTER HOLDERS...ANDDECORATIVE CARPETS."WE'RE IN A MOVIE THEATER"BUT THE ATTRACTION HERE..ISN'TON SCREEN."RIGHT NOW IT IS OUR COVIDVACCINE SITE"AND ON THE CREDITS-- ISMATTHEWS-VU MEDICAL GROUP."WE WILL GIVE A VACCINE AT ANYOF OUR LOCATIONS BUTAVAILABILITY AND ACCESS ISIMPORTANT TO US" FOR PEOPLE LIKENICHOLAS SELLS..COMING HEREBROUGHT HIM ONE STEP CLOSER TOSOMETHING HE CALLS A CIVIC DUTY."MUCH MORE OF THE CASE WAS MYGRANDMA, SHE LIVES IN THE HOUSEWITH US AND HER IMMUNITY ISN'TTHE BEST AS SHE'S GROWING IN AGEAND IHAVE TO DO MY PART IN THEHOUSEHOLD TO TAKE CARE OF HERTHE BEST I CAN" BUT THISTHEATER...WILL EVENTUALLY BESOMETHING MORE FOR MATTHEWS VUWITH PLANS TO MOVE ITS CURRENTSOUTHEAST CLINIC INTO THEBUILDING AND OFFER ADDITIONALSERVICES LIKE IMAGING ANDPHYSICAL THERAPY.NATS-WINDWITH HOPES TO ADDRESS A NEED INSOUTHEAST SPRINGS..."THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOREPOPULOUS CLINICS"A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BOTH PEAKVISTA AND MATTHEWS-VU OPENED UPCLINICS IN THE AREA."AND IT VERY QUICKLY BECAMEPOPULATED WITH PEOPLE WHO JUSTWEREN'T ABLE TO GET CAREANYWHERE ELSE" ...NEARLY 75 HUNDRED PATIENTS WEREGOING TO OTHER CLINICSBEFORE THIS JET WING DRIVELOCATION OPENED.THIS CLINIC CURRENTLY SERVESMOREEVEN THOUSANDPATIENTS- NOT INCLUDING PEOPLESHOWING UP FOR COVIDVACCINES..SOMETHING BOTH CLINICSHAVE WORKED TO MAKE A PRIORITYFOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS."OUR MISSION HERE IS TO PREVENTACCESS BARRIERS"AT PEAK VISTA ALONE--THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME TOTHE CLINIC TO GET THE SHOT."FOR ME EVERYTHING IS ABOUT ARELATIONSHIP"AND PEOPLE LIKE JULISSA SOTOHAVE WORKED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLEIN THE LATINX COMMUNITY AREAMONG THOSE GETTING VACCINATED."WE NEED TO GO KNOCK ON PEOPLESDOORS AND SAY HEY WE NEED TO GETVACCINATED AND THIS IS WHY"THIS JETWING CLINIC HAS BEENKEY..PEAK VISTA SAYS OF THOSE SELFIDENTIFIED AS LATINX AT ALL OFTHEIR CLINICS-- NINETY ONEPERCENT OF THEM HAVE COME TOTHIS CLINIC TO GET A VACCINE.....THE CLINIC HAS ALSOPARTNERED WITH OTHER GROUPS TOHELP OUT WITH BARRIERS LIKETRANSPORTATION."THIS PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTEDTHERE'S NOT EQUITY FOR ALL, MYCOMMUNITY WAS ONE OF THE ONESLEFT BEHIND"FOR SOTO-- HER WORK ISN'T DONEYET...SHE HAS MORE OUTREACH PLANS INTHE WORKS TO EDUCATE HERCOMMUNITY IN GETTING ACCESS TOHEALTHCARE.AND AS CLINICS LIKE MATTHEWS-VULOOK TO EXPAND-- THEY SAY THEREARE STILL OTHER NEEDS IN THISPART OF THE SPRINGS."I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOUTHEASTCOLORADO SPRINGS GET A HOSPITALEVENTUALLY, I'VE LIVED HERE MYWHOLE LIFE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ATREK TO GET TO A HOSPITAL"THE MATTHEWS-VU VACCINE SITEWILL ALSO SOON BE OFFERING COVIDTESTING OUT OF THE OLD THEATERAS WELL.THEY HOPE TO HAVE THE CLINIC UPAND RUNNING SOME