Gloria Chapa knows Austin. She loves Austin. From her first breath at University Medical Center Brackenridge to 30 years of service at UT Austin, she’s embraced her community. Now, in a unique way, her community is embracing her.
Gloria is sick – the kind of sick that has taken away what’s dear. Due to uncontrolled diabetes, memory loss, and liver disease, she is disabled. In 2013, she visited the emergency room 11 times. “I hate not being able to work. I learned that when you work honest, you walk with pride.”
Gloria’s doctor referred her to Seton Total Health Partners, an innovative program that is transforming how care is provided, while improving outcomes and lowering costs. Her Seton care team, including her health promoter Katherine Edmondson and dietitian Rosimeiry Jamalabad, regularly visit Gloria in her home.
“We come into their homes and provide the care and education they need to stay healthy and out of the hospital—like nutrition counseling, diabetes education, medical check-ups, community resources,” explained Rosimeiry. “Gloria is learning to take control of her own health.”
Katherine sees Gloria each week and attends her doctors’ appointments, helping navigate her care and manage her medications. “It’s all about helping Gloria find small victories, each day, in improving her health.”
It’s working. Since participating in Seton Total Health Partners, Gloria has visited the emergency room only once. She has changed her diet, lowered her blood pressure and maintained her blood sugar levels, which improves her memory. By staying on course, going back to work is a real possibility.
Seton, Central Health and Dell Medical School are partnering to create new models of care — care that meets individual needs at the right time and right place. You can support a healthier future for Austin by supporting Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas: