NEWS: NOAH Celebrates Emerging Leader Dora Correal
NOAH is thrilled to share that one of our own dedicated and caring team members, Dora Correal, Director of Community Equity, received the Emerging Leader Award from the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy.
This national award honors young, emerging leaders within community and farmworker health centers who have made a career in the health center family and personify the enduring strength of health centers.
Dora joined NOAH in 2015 as an Eligibility Specialist, where she quickly established herself as a subject matter expert in government assistance programs and customer service. She has led the growth of our Community Resource Department as the first Supervisor, Manager, and now Director of that department. It has been through her leadership that a four-member team providing application assistance has grown to a 30-person team helping our patients and organization with crucial functions for our mission.
“Dora inspires and motivates us to keep finding innovative ways to help and serve our patients, NOAH team members, and community,” said Julia Nierad, NOAH CFO. “Leading with compassion and empathy, she is a champion for ensuring our community obtains access to resources in an efficient, dignified, and friendly manner. We are so grateful to have her passion and dedication on our team as we continue to address community need, particularly for those severely impacted by the pandemic.”
Dora inspires and motivates us to keep finding innovative ways to help and serve our patients, NOAH team members, and community.
Compassion, empathy, and strength are how Dora leads her team to deliver for NOAH patients every day. She sees opportunities and finds ways for the Community Resource Department to help bridge gaps for patients, the community, and for NOAH’s own team.
“The Emerging Leaders selected each year represent the future of health centers. The policy and program advocates, clinicians, health educators, and clinic administrators recognized each year truly will become the next generation of senior leaders.” – Feygele Jacobs, President, and CEO of the RCHN Community Health Foundation
Emerging leaders like Dora are celebrated for the work they do to help further the mission of healthcare and better health for medically underserved patients, communities, and special populations.
The future of NOAH and community health centers looks bright with leaders like Dora sharing their talents and passion with organizations serving the medically underserved populations. Congratulations, Dora!
Learn more about the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy Emerging Leader Award here.
Profiles in Leadership
Meet NOAH Board Member Abe Alirez
Get to know Abe, his inspiration for joining the NOAH board and what he hopes to accomplish as part of the group.
Q: When did you join the NOAH Board of Directors?
A: I was welcomed to the board on June 25 of 2021.
Q: Why are you interested in supporting community health?
A: I have worked in healthcare for most of my career and have always wanted to use my skills to give back to the communities that I live in. Working in IT (information technology) you don’t always get to see the effect the work has on the community, and I wanted to see the impact more directly so I could better understand what the community needs.
Q: What specifically about NOAH motivated you to want to get involved at this level with the organization?
A: The community outreach of such comprehensive services was one item that initially drew me to NOAH. Once I met with NOAH’s CEO Wendy Armendariz and heard about all the wonderful plans that NOAH was working toward, I was sold. Most of my mentors have been women in leadership positions and I was very pleased to know that NOAH has such a high percentage of women in these roles.
Q: What do you like about working with your fellow board members?
A: The knowledge and the ideas that everyone brings to the table. The expertise of my fellow board members is nothing short of astonishing. The open discussions and ideas that are shared has enabled me to be even more willing to explore a wider range of ideas in my own organizations.
Q: What do you hope to collectively accomplish during your term on the board?
A: I hope to be able to bring ideas that will benefit NOAH and the communities we serve. The current migration away from HonorHealth is something that I have been monitoring. I hope to provide some input on this process and support the NOAH team during this transition.
Q: In your own words, what does NOAH’s Board of Directors provide for the organization, staff, patients, and the community?
A: The board oversees the organization and its executives. By providing oversight and establishing bylaws, the board protects the organization, staff, and patients. By combining experience and leadership expertise, the Board of Directors adds value to the organization and its mission.
Q: What part of the community that NOAH serves matters to you the most personally?
A: By location, NOAH Midtown Health Center is closest to my part of town and supports the community that I live in.
The NOAH Board of Directors is a diverse group of volunteers who contribute to the mission of transforming the health of our community. Patients from the communities we serve make up 51% of our board. Learn more about NOAH’s board of directors and how they drive the organization.
NEWS: Latest COVID Surge Impacting Local Healthcare
The newest wave of COVID cases are impacting people, families, businesses, and organizations throughout our community, including NOAH. Staff across NOAH’s eight health center locations are working hard to ensure patients have access to healthcare and that staff are able to provide the best care possible in a safe and supportive environment.
NOAH health centers will be making changes over the next few weeks as cases continue to rise. We ask our patients and community to help us in the following ways:
- Be patient with the NOAH team as we are working with fewer staff. NOAH team members may be out caring for sick loved ones, monitoring symptoms, and following isolation and quarantine guidelines.
- Switch appointments to virtual appointments if possible. Some appointments must be in-person. However, it is better for everyone if appointments that are able to are switched to virtual
- Limit to just one visitor accompanying a pediatric patient, or patients with disabilities or mobility issues for in-person appointments.
- Use MyChart to schedule an appointment or COVID test, ask your provider questions, request a prescription refill, and more.
- Understand temporary changes, including reduced hours/availability for appointments, longer hold times when calling for an appointment, longer wait times for return call/email from our team.
We are all working to keep our community healthy and safe, but we are working with fewer staff. Please be patient as we remain flexible to the surges and to supporting our staff during this challenging time.
Some Helpful Links:
- Schedule an Appointment
- Request a COVID Test or Vaccine
- Log into MyChart
- Arizona Department of Health Services COVID Dashboard
To talk to a NOAH team member, call 480-882-4545.
MyChart Now In Spanish / MyChart Ahora en Español
MyChart, the patient portal used by NOAH, HonorHealth, and many other healthcare organizations in Arizona and around the country is now available in Spanish as well as English.
MyChart, el portal para pacientes utilizado por NOAH, HonorHealth y muchas otras organizaciones de atención médica en Arizona y en todo el país ahora está disponible en español e inglés.
NOAH patients or their family members for whom Spanish is their primary or preferred language will now have better access to their healthcare. Having information and communications with your provider team in the language you prefer is an important step for patients to live their healthiest life.
Los pacientes de NOAH o sus familiares para quienes el español es su idioma principal o preferido ahora tendrán un mejor acceso a su atención médica. Tener información y comunicaciones con su equipo de proveedores de atención médica en el idioma que prefiere es un paso importante para que los pacientes vivan su vida de la manera más saludable.
MyChart is free and available as an app on your phone or tablet and is accessible via web browser as well.
MyChart es gratis y está disponible como una aplicación en su teléfono o tableta y también lo puede accesar a través del navegador web.
Benefits of MyChart / Beneficios de MyChart
Patients can use MyChart from anywhere to:
- Schedule or cancel appointments with your provider.
- Review test and lab results.
- Email your provider with non-urgent medical questions and get a response within two business days.
- Request prescription refills from your provider.
- Review your medications, immunizations, allergies, and health history.
- Access patient education resources through nationally recognized sources.
- Review post-visit instructions.
- Securely pay your bills online for all of your NOAH and HonorHealth accounts.
Los pacientes pueden usar MyChart de cualquier lugar para:
- Programar o cancelar citas con su proveedor.
- Revisar los resultados de pruebas y análisis de laboratorio.
- Enviar un correo electrónico a su proveedor con preguntas médicas no urgentes y obtener una respuesta dentro de los dos días hábiles.
- Solicitar a su proveedor que vuelva a surtir sus recetas médicas.
- Revisar sus medicamentos, vacunas, alergias y antecedentes médicos.
- Tener acceso a recursos educativos a través de fuentes reconocidas a nivel nacional.
- Revisar indicaciones posteriores a la visita.
- Pagar de manera segura sus facturas en línea de todas sus cuentas de NOAH y HonorHealth.
Learn more about MyChart in Spanish or MyChart in English, or sign into your MyChart account and get started!
¡Obtenga más información sobre MyChart en español o MyChart en inglés, o inicie su sesión en su cuenta MyChart y empiece hoy mismo!
NOAH Awarded Grant to Address Rising HIV in Arizona
NOAH was awarded a grant recently to be part of the solution to the rising cases of HIV in Maricopa County. The program, called Partners in Prevention, is an important way communities across the country are coming together to address the HIV epidemic in the U.S., with the most focus on places like central Arizona.
Maricopa County is recognized as one of the 57 HIV “hot spots” by Health and Human Services. The goal of the program is to work together to reduce new transmissions by 75% by 2025 and by 90 percent by 2030.
The two-year grant NOAH received is from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This is part of the first phase to reach the HIV reduction goals nationwide. During those two years, NOAH will launch a specialized team to address the rising cases in Maricopa County by:
- Increasing HIV testing to identify individuals currently living with the virus. People can call NOAH at 480-882-4545 to make an appointment to get tested!
- Reducing HIV spread by prescribing PrEP – a medicine that prevents the virus – for people who are at high risk. Learn more about PrEP here.
- Treating patients. NOAH will connect patients who test positive with high-quality, compassionate, on-going care with partner organizations including Valleywise and Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS.
- Working with organizations including Sonoran Prevention Works to expand prevention efforts and testing in key areas.
Solving this important issue will take collaboration between individuals and groups with years of experience in healthcare, community outreach, HIV treatment, impactful prevention efforts, and more. NOAH is honored to be able to work with leaders in Maricopa.
New and existing patients can request a test with NOAH online or by calling 480-882-4545.
NEWS: COVID Vaccines for Children Age 5 – 11 at NOAH
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in children ages 5 to 11. NOAH has the vaccine available to begin scheduling COVID vaccines for children and is kicking this off with a vaccine event on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at NOAH Palomino Health Center.
The approval came after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was studied in approximately 3,100 children. The study shows the vaccine to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11 and there were no serious side effects found during the study.
While the same vaccine, the dosage children 5 to 11 will receive is 1/3 the dose those 12 and older receive. The second dose of the vaccine will be 21 days after the first dose. NOAH will schedule the second dose appointment when patients schedule the first dose for their child.
More Questions About COVID Vaccines for Children?
NOAH has put together some of the most common questions about COVID vaccines for children.
Schedule An Appointment
Parents or guardians of patients ages 5 to 11 can request a vaccine appointment at NOAH. The first vaccine opportunity is:
- Date: 11/20
- Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Location: NOAH Palomino Health Center, 16251 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix 85032
COVID-19 vaccines are free, and no insurance is required. For individuals under 18, parental consent is required. ID is required for parent or guardian and can include any government-issued ID.
If you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccines, NOAH has answers here, or you can make an appointment to talk to your healthcare provider.
NEWS: NOAH’s Nurse Triage Line Now 7 Days a Week
NOAH launched the Nurse Triage service in August of 2021 to help reach more patients and community members. The Nurse Triage service helps people answer urgent medical or other health questions with an RN on the other end of the line. This service is free and helps patients avoid costly and unnecessary emergency department or urgent care visits with a highly-trained and caring medical professional just a phone call away.
Phoenix’s ABC15 came to NOAH to learn more about Nurse Triage and talk to the team behind it.
NOAH’s Sierra Health Center Closing
As of November 1, 2021 the NOAH Sierra Health Center is closing. This community health center location opened in late-2016 at the corner of Bell Road and 59th Ave in Glendale.
Sierra was always different than most of the other eight health center locations because it was focused on a specific service. Sierra offered quality therapy and counseling services to a wide variety of patients of all ages. The providers at this location serviced couples, children, teens, and individuals as they worked to overcome life’s toughest challenges with a holistic approach to counseling.
While Sierra may be closing, providers from Sierra will continue to serve patients throughout the metro-Phoenix area through telehealth counseling and therapy sessions, or at another NOAH location.
NOAH behavioral health professionals incorporate various treatment methods into the counseling process and treat the counseling relationship as a partnership between the patient and healthcare professional working toward shared goals. And, because NOAH believes in whole-person healthcare, your behavioral health provider can work with or refer patients for other services at NOAH, working together with all providers.
To schedule an appointment or for more information on services, request an appointment online or call 480-882-4545.
Profile in Leadership
Get to Know Kavita Bernstein From NOAH’s Board of Directors
Kavita is NOAH’s new Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and shares her vision for community health through NOAH.
Q: Tell us about yourself and when you joined the Board of Directors.
A: I recently became the Director of Relationships and Solutions at Candelen, an Arizona nonprofit that provides resources and support to parents, caregivers, and educators to help every kid achieve the brightest outlook possible. I joined NOAH’s Board of Directors in 2019.
Q: Why are you interested in supporting community health?
A: In my eyes, health and wellness are basic needs. When our health is impacted, it has the capacity to impact other parts of our life, including our ability to work, our capacity to have relationships with others, and so much more. My passion has always been with those that are in need of healthcare but may not have it readily available to them. Community health is the perfect answer to that.
Q: What motivated you to serve at this level on NOAH’s Board of Directors?
A: The mission of NOAH falls right in line with my vision for community health – to find quality health care that is provided in a compassionate manner. Truly, that is what we all want when we are feeling unwell – to find medical care that is not only high quality but also to find providers that are willing to sit with us, listen, and then act on our behalf to get us to better health.
Q: What do you like about working with your fellow board members?
A: We are all in. We are here to serve the NOAH staff and patients. I regularly hear in Board meetings and from Board members, “How can we help?” and “What do you need from us?” because our board members are not content to just sit and listen. We are ready to serve NOAH. It’s this dedication in the form of action that I truly value in the Board.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish during your term as Vice Chair?
A: To support the growth and development of NOAH, to support the team in meeting the goals of the strategic plan, and to continue to help cultivate our board culture.
Q: What about NOAH motivates you the most in your role on the Board of Directors?
A: Helping the most vulnerable in our community through access to quality healthcare.
The NOAH Board of Directors is a diverse group of volunteers who contribute to the mission of transforming the health of our community. Patients from the communities we serve make up 51% of our board. Learn more about NOAH’s board of directors and how they drive the organization.
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