Nicole M. Schuett, BS, Kelli Carrington, MA, CHES, Janet Austin, PhD, Robert Miranda-Acevedo, BA, Margarita Velarde, RN, MSN, and Barbara Mittleman, MD. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 31 Center Drive, Bldg. 31, Room 4C02, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 496-8190, schuettn@mail.nih.gov

The NIAMS Health Partnership Program (HPP) was established in response to a mandate by DHHS to address health disparities among minorities. Within the HPP are a clinic known as the Community Health Center (CHC) and the NIAMS Patient Liaison Program. The CHC is located in Washington, DC, in a medically underserved African American and Hispanic/Latino community. All CHC patients are enrolled in a natural history research protocol to assess health disparities in the rheumatic diseases.

Patients requiring x-rays, physical therapy, and other special services are transported to the NIH Clinical Center (CC), located in suburban Bethesda, Maryland. The Patient Liaison Program was created to facilitate CHC patients' smooth transition to the CC. It consists of English/Spanish bilingual Patient Liaisons who greet patients at the door of the CC, escort them through its maze of corridors, and facilitate their communication with health professionals.

Ongoing quantitative and qualitative assessments of satisfaction with the Patient Liaison service are obtained at 4-month intervals. To date, 96.9% agreed that they were satisfied with the Patient Liaisons' overall service during their visit, 96.9% agreed that the Patient Liaison helped them feel more comfortable and at ease during their visit, and 90.6% agreed that the Patient Liaison was courteous/polite during their visit. Further data regarding patients' satisfaction will be presented.

The Patient Liaison Program improves minority patients' access to large medical research centers by fostering patient participation in research, which is necessary to address health disparities and improve outcomes for minority populations.

Learning Objectives: