Designing a Resident Led Otolaryngology Clinic at a Community Health Center: An Initial Experience

Objectives: To report a resident-led otolaryngology clinic experience at an independent Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with an affiliated academic center. We compared delivery of subspecialty care for underserved patients in a unique resident run clinic to standard care at the university staffed subspecialty clinics. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of surgical patients seen at the Social Action Community Health System (SACHS) otolaryngology clinic over a one-year period compared with a matched control cohort of patients having similar procedures at the affiliated faculty academic practice. Measured endpoints were case type, time of referral to consultation, time interval between surgical decision and date of surgery, surgical complications, as well as post-surgical follow up. Results: A total of 687 new patients were seen at SACHS clinic, with approximately 18% ultimately undergoing surgery. All otolaryngology sub-specialties were represented including otology, facial plastics, and head and neck oncology. SACHS patients had overall slightly higher median interval times from referral to consultation and from surgical decision to date of surgery though this did not reach significance. There were no differences in surgical outcomes or complication rates between the SACHS cohort and faculty cohort. Conclusions: We demonstrate a mutually beneficial partnership between a fully resourced FQHC system and an otolaryngology residency program to provide reciprocally beneficial training experience and effective health care delivery.