NHC SF Member Blog: Small Acts, Big Changes - Bringing Healthcare to Patients
My name is Emily Jiang, and I am a National Health Corps (NHC) San Francisco member serving with the Street Outreach Services (SOS) team at the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium (SFCCC) as an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) Outreach Specialist. Having lived in the Bay Area for the past few years, I joined SOS because I wanted to better understand the challenges that unhoused people face when trying to access care, particularly when it comes to sexual health. Over the past couple of months, I have seen how much of a difference it can make when health care is brought to people where they are, not the other way around.
On Thursdays, we park outside of a local soup kitchen where community members come for meals and showers. From our van, we offer urgent and preventative medical care, health and hygiene supplies, and connections to social services. Each week, the line to receive services stretches down the block.
During my first clinic at this site, a patient walked up and asked if we could look at a rash she had been concerned about. Our provider determined she might have an STI which would require prompt treatment. We coordinated with a local specialty clinic where she could receive rapid STI treatment.
For the rest of the afternoon, the patient sat by the van and waited quietly. I could tell she was scared. After clinic ended, we drove her to the specialty clinic. I went inside with her to help check her in, and we sat together while she waited. As we waited for her name to be called, she started to open up to me, sharing a little bit about herself. Later, I heard that she had been successfully treated.
A few weeks later, we were roving in our medical van and met a patient who was dealing with a persistent cough. Our provider examined her and left our contact information in case she needed anything else. A few days later, she called and asked if we could take her to a walk-in clinic across town. We picked her up, helped her get checked in, and returned later to drive her back to where she was staying. When we dropped her off, she thanked us and said, “Today, I felt important.”
Hearing that reminded me that these small acts, like offering a ride or sitting with someone during check-in, can change the way a person experiences the health care system.
I have come to realize that the work that we do can be more than just a clinical service. It can also be a form of recognition that helps people feel seen when it is easy to feel forgotten.
I know I still have more to learn in my service term, but I have already grown so much from these experiences, and I will carry these lessons into everything that I do.
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About the Author
Emily Jiang is one of the 2025-2026 NHC San Francisco Members. Emily is currently serving as the STI Outreach Specialist with the Street Outreach Services (SOS) Team at the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium.