Photo: Dr. Cesar Barba explains a health condition to a patient at our Inglewood South La Brea Health Center

Over the past year, Venice Family Clinic has worked hard to ensure all of our patients have access to our comprehensive services no matter which clinic they get their care from. Since merging with South Bay Family Health Care in 2021, nowhere has this been more evident than at our South Bay sites, where we’ve expanded many of our signature programs. Thanks in part to support from Providence Little Company of Mary and Torrance Memorial Medical Center, this expansion includes street medicine, harm reduction services, free food programming, better-integrated behavioral health care, and enhanced diabetes care.

Troy Bailey is a patient at the Inglewood South La Brea clinic who sees Associate Medical Director Dr. Cesar Barba for her primary care needs. Earlier this year, Dr. Barba diagnosed Troy with diabetes.

“When Dr. Barba told me my A1C was high, he broke it down for me and told me what I needed to do to get it down,” said Troy, who lives a short drive away from the clinic. “Now I’m eating less carbs, and my A1C went from 7.3% to 6.8%. And I’ve lost seven pounds. I can walk better, and taking the stairs has gotten a little easier. Everything is falling into place for me.”

Troy credits the care she receives from Venice Family Clinic and Dr. Barba for encouraging her to continue losing weight and getting her A1C level down. She even got herself an exercise bicycle.

“Dr. Barba listens and doesn’t make me feel bad about my weight. I respect and trust him,” she said. “Dr. Barba showing me that he cared made me care more about myself.”