Tristian Hendrix is a Community Health Worker for Access Community Health Network, a partner to Wellness West.
Every day, he works his patients across the West Side who might suffer from diabetes, hypertension, depression and other challenges.
“People need more than a prescription and a treatment plan written by a doctor on a piece of paper. What I do is help patients follow their wellness plan. There is no point in having a plan if a patient can’t or won’t follow the plan. Maybe the patient doesn’t understand the plan. Or maybe they face a barrier. Or maybe they are discouraged. This is where I come in. I answer their questions. I find them resources. I boost their spirits. I just try to make it easier to achieve their goals. I tell them to think of me as their personal assistant,” Tristian says.
“I love my job because of the patients I work with. I hear the happiness in their voice when I check up on them. I have seen patients go from being discouraged to having hope for their future. What could be better than that?”