Undocumented Patients
Differential Diagnosis
Case:
Mrs. Tuilevu is a thirty-two year-old woman who presents to your labor and delivery floor in active labor. A cervical exam reveals a fungating mass which you suspect is an advanced cervical cancer. Following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery of a healthy baby, you counsel the patient on your findings and the need for follow up with a gynecologic oncologist. She reveals that she is an undocumented immigrant from Fiji and supports her family as a health aid for a homebound elderly woman. The local free clinic serving undocumented patients has a consultant gynecologist, but is unable to provide the surgical care that she needs. What strategies would you employ to meet this patient’s healthcare needs?