Advanced Community Care

In 1958, Washington Hospital opened in Fremont with 150 beds to serve a population of 18,000. Nine physicians formed the original medical staff of the Washington Township Health Care District.

Today, Washington Health (WH) is an integrated health system that includes a 415-bed hospital; a medical group of more than 500 providers; outpatient services; centers of excellence in orthopedics and neurosurgery; award-winning UCSF Health-affiliated services in oncology, cardiovascular surgery, maternal and child health and neonatal intensive care; and most recently, a level II trauma center. And nearly 70 years after starting with a medical staff made up of a handful of physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician associates (PAs) have joined the Washington Health Medical Group (WHMG) team to care for a diverse and multicultural population of more than 300,000 people in WH’s service area.

NPs are trained using the nursing care model (assessment, diagnosis, plan, implementation and evaluation) while PAs are trained using the medical model in caring for patients, both in the hospital and outpatient setting. Both focus on caring for the whole person.

Following the Nursing Model

Katherine Donaldson-Fletcher, RN, WHNP, CNM, started her career as a bilingual elementary school teacher. She focused on women’s health at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, earning a master’s degree and certifications as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) and Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM).

“When it was time for me to move on from teaching, I did a big soul search and took time to figure out what my next great passion would be,” Donaldson-Fletcher recalled. “Becoming a nurse practitioner was never on my radar when I was growing up, but in my search I saw people who were NPs who were very happy, doing important work that made a huge difference in people's lives. I knew it would be my next great calling."

As a teacher, Donaldson-Fletcher taught bilingual kindergarten and first grade in Richmond, Oakland and Berkeley for 12 years. She brings that same focus to her practice at Washington Women’s Health Specialists, providing a wide range of care to women from their teens into their senior years. She said sharing her wealth of extensive clinical experience in reproductive health, obstetrics, and gynecology with her patients from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds fills her spirit.

“Midwifery encompasses all of women’s health,” she explained. “A CNM brings a different perspective to prenatal care. I’ve attended many births as a CNM, and more as a doula before that. It affects all the patient care I provide, from family planning, gender-affirming care, and general reproductive and sexual health care.”

She also relies on her teaching roots and works to create trusting relationships with her patients.

“I always emphasize the importance of education and information in making decisions about health,” Donaldson-Fletcher shared. “I advocate for all my patients and help them learn how to advocate for themselves, whether it’s during pregnancy, reproductive years, perimenopause or post-menopause.

“This only works because Washington Health is very supportive of me as a practitioner,” she continued. “That allows me to take time with each patient, look across the breadth of the patient care spectrum and focus on them, not just on a disease process or a point of time in their lives. They know I’m there to provide holistic care and it builds trust.”

Treating the Whole Patient

Like Donaldson-Fletcher, Ekta Patel, PA-C, took the road less traveled on her journey to becoming a Physician Associate. After earning a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in biomedical science, she earned a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies and is a Certified Physician Associate (PA-C). Before joining WHMG’s Danielson Clinic in Newark, she worked in general surgery, primary and urgent care, and telemedicine in clinics across the country.

“I was fortunate to have worked in a number of different practice settings before finding my love of family medicine,” Patel said. “Every one of them helps inform my practice and allows me to bring my experience to each patient encounter. Family Medicine lets me care for generations, and my experience will help me build long-term, trusting relationships with each one.”

Patel said that opportunity is what attracted her to the Danielson Clinic.

“Family Medicine is all about continuity of care,” she explained. “I work together with my patients to tackle problems and find solutions that improve their lives and share education with them to keep them moving forward. Every visit is another step in that relationship.”

Patel’s approach is inspired by her own family, based on respect, honesty and compassion. Her patients are diverse in ethnicity, age, educational level and income, but they all receive her undivided attention when they’re with her.

“Patients come in and we talk about their general health, their mental health, preventative medicine and making healthy lifestyle choices,” she shared. “I teach them that little lifestyle modifications can make a big difference. I advocate for their health, teach them how to advocate for themselves and help them navigate the complex health care system we as practitioners deal with every day.

“I know our patients have options in choosing a primary care provider,” she continued. “I always thank them for coming to see me and let them know I’m there for them for all their healthcare needs. We address acute complaints and conditions, but also chronic conditions and overall general and mental health. When they leave the office, they know I was present with them and care about them. It’s what fills my heart.”

To learn more about these Washington Health Advanced Practice Providers profiled here, go to https://www.mywtmf.com/find-a-doctor/katherine-donaldson-fletcher-rn-whnp-cnm/ or https://www.mywtmf.com/find-a-doctor/ekta-patel-pa-c/