In our parks clinics, the visit doesn’t always end when the patient walks away. For many of the people we serve, that brief encounter may be their only connection to healthcare for weeks or even months. Challenges like limited transportation, unstable housing, gaps in medication access, and fragmented healthcare systems make it hard to remember medical advice or follow through on next steps once the visit is over.
Because of this reality, our team is working to bring After-Visit Summaries (AVS) into our parks clinics as a tool for education, continuity, and prevention.
We are currently creating simple, rough-draft AVS templates for common concerns we see again and again, including diabetes, high blood pressure, lice, scabies, wounds, and other skin conditions. These summaries are intentionally written in clear, everyday language, with as little medical jargon as possible. Many of our patients are managing their health without reliable access to phones, medical records, or primary care, so the information needs to be easy to understand and utilize.
We are also creating these summaries in Spanish for patients who feel more comfortable receiving medical information in Spanish. Providing bilingual After-Visit Summaries helps make sure language is not a barrier to understanding care plans, medications, or warning signs, and allows patients to leave the clinic with information they can actually use. Even small steps like this can help patients feel more confident managing their own health, rather than feeling that language or cultural differences limit the care they receive.
Each AVS has two main parts:
- What Happened Today
This section explains the visit in simple terms, including:
- What was talked about or treated
- Vital signs that were checked
- Any new or refilled medications
- What to watch out for and when to seek more care
This helps patients remember their visit and gives them something tangible to bring with them if they see another provider later on.
- Caring for Yourself After the Visit
The second part focuses on practical, real-life tips for managing health between visits, such as:
- How to care for wounds and prevent infection
- Ways to manage blood sugar or blood pressure
- Steps to prevent lice or scabies from coming back
- Clear guidance on when and where to get help if symptoms worsen
Even small pieces of clear, actionable information can make a big difference and can help prevent complications, reduce repeat infections, and support patients in caring for themselves outside the clinic.
Beyond the medical impact, these After-Visit Summaries are also about respect and trust. Giving patients a written summary reinforces that their care matters, that their health information belongs to them, and that they deserve the same clarity and dignity found in more traditional healthcare settings.
As we continue to build and refine these AVS templates, our goal is to adapt them for more conditions, more languages, and more outreach settings. Over time, we hope they will help improve health understanding and support more consistent, preventative care for the communities we serve.
BY Lulu Wang, DWW Communications Volunteer
