Providence reaches out to people with disabilities through Special Olympics partnership

Chronic health conditions like high blood pressure are common among those who are vulnerable. Those who are developmentally disabled are at higher risk because of intellectual and communication barriers. 

Providence is working to break down those barriers through a partnership with Special Olympics. In Anchorage, Providence caregivers screen Special Olympics athletes at events to make sure they’re healthy enough to compete. When an athlete has high blood pressure or other condition, Clinical Care Coordinator Samantha Gordon is there to schedule them for an appointment with a Providence clinician and bridge the gaps in care coordination, including transportation and language support, to support a full spectrum of equitable, accessible care. 

“It’s been a slow and steady process, but we’re beginning to get more and more inquiries for patients that might need to establish with a medical team,” Gordon said. 

Gordon remembers one athlete who was screened for high blood pressure. As a female, the patient wanted to see a female clinician. 

“She had some specific needs, and we were able to get her in with a clinician in a timely manner,” Gordon said. “She’s been very pleased with her care.” 

Word of the program is spreading beyond Special Olympics events. Gordon is receiving more phone calls as care facilities and caregivers for people who are developmentally disabled get her phone number from events and from social media groups.  

“We got a call the other day for a young adult in an assisted living facility, he didn’t have a primary care provider, and they were looking for someone who could accommodate him,” Gordon recalled. “So, they have the convenience of calling me and being able to schedule directly.” 

Throughout 2024, the team established new-patient relationships with nearly 30 people with developmental disabilities. 

Christian Gilbreath, Director of Quality, Providence Medical Group Alaska, said this work is part of Providence’s committed focus to care for those with developmental disabilities. 

“This is a forgotten population, but it’s a population that exists everywhere,” Gilbreath said. “And they probably have the highest risk of health disparities of any vulnerable population. There’s an urgency and a need for this population to be included in all discussions so they have the access to the care they need.”