A Carle Illinois College of Medicine physician innovator is launching Urbana-Champaign’s first-ever free clinic focused on care for the largest organ in the human body – the skin. The new Skin and Wound Care Community Clinic is designed to fill care gaps by providing area residents with accessible, culturally competent dermatological and wound care services along with educational resources that promote skin health.
“This initiative sprung out of our commitment to serving vulnerable and underserved populations including under- and uninsured patients, homeless people, and those with limited access to health care,” said CI MED student organizer Christian Guerrero-Juarez. “We recognized a specific need in the local community related to access to skin care, with a large number of patients who have never seen a dermatologist or wound care provider.”
Through a partnership with the student-run Avicenna Community Health Center, the Skin and Wound Care Community Clinic includes several sub-clinics that focus on patient needs, including general dermatology, wound care, and skin cancer. Services will include skin and wound exams, skin cancer screenings, diabetic foot exams, skin biopsies and referrals for suspicious lesions, and patient education on preventing skin cancer and pressure injuries.
Patient education efforts will leverage the latest standards of care from the American Academy of Dermatology and CI MED’s experts in clinical and basic sciences. Because language can be a barrier to care, Guerrero-Juarez says they’ll also offer bilingual and telehealth translation services for patients whose primary language is something other than English.
The new initiative represents a multidisciplinary collaboration that includes several health care providers, CI MED medical students, basic scientists, undergraduates, and the Avicenna Community Health Center. Dr. Caitlyn Foote – a board-certified dermatologist affiliated with Christie Clinic, Veterans Affairs Iliana Health Care System-Danville, Carle Foundation Hospital, and Carle Illinois College of Medicine – will serve as the clinic’s primary provider and mentor.
“Seeing a population that may otherwise not be able to get to dermatologic services will change lives and spread awareness to help with early detection. Skin cancer, for example, is the most common cancer in the United States and has an excellent prognosis when diagnosed early,” Foote said. “We will also be able to help diagnose and treat common skin conditions to make community members more comfortable and confident in their skin!”
Dr. Neil Mashruwala – a board-certified burn and reconstructive surgeon affiliated with Carle Foundation Hospital, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, and Carle Illinois College of Medicine – will also serve as a clinic provider. “Access to providers for care of complex wounds or skin disorders is challenging for the community. The goal would be to provide education and reassurance to patients, so they feel more comfortable with management.”
The new clinic is expected to open in the spring of 2024. Office hours will be scheduled in two- or three-hour blocks on Saturdays or Sundays at the Avicenna Community Health Center at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign.
Guerrero-Juarez says his team is actively recruiting additional providers and volunteers to serve at the Skin and Wound Care Community Clinic. Those interested in volunteer opportunities may contact him here.
Avicenna Community Health Center is a free, student-run clinic that provides a full spectrum of preventative services for the uninsured and underinsured of Champaign County. Learn more here.