Impact Stories
Rooted in Justice, Thriving in Community
Miguel Anda, a Physician Assistant, has been running AltaMed's housing clinics since 2005, bringing quality care directly to communities facing barriers to access.
In the late 1990s, Miguel Anda was halfway through Paramedic school when he dropped out of the program. By 2000, he had graduated as a Physician Assistant (PA) and began working in low-income communities in Los Angeles.
AltaMed was somewhere I had always wanted to work—in 2005, they called with an offer to run the clinics in the housing sites, and I said 'I'll take it. I'm in.'”
Miguel Anda
Bringing Health Home
These clinics are located in Boyle Heights and Chinatown within the Estrada Courts, Ramona Gardens and William Mead public housing developments. They were designed to bring quality, comprehensive primary care directly to communities that face barriers like unreliable transportation, low income, and jobs that don't allow time off for medical appointments.
I tell the patients, 'People are getting the same care on the West Side.' We're giving you the same vaccines, you're getting your paps, your mammograms, we're doing the same labs and we're taking care of you.”
Miguel Anda
The Ripple Effects of Community Care
Miguel and his colleagues play a pivotal role in detecting and managing chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, conditions that disproportionately affect underserved communities. Their work saves lives.
I see the need for Spanish-speaking providers. I think the patients connect best with us, and that's why I want to be here.”
Miguel Anda
Make a Difference