putting the concepts into operation was begun. There is not enough space to present a detailed description of the medical and counseling services which were provided. However, one important aspect of the women's clinic was the use of medical and counseling services to reinforce one another. The assumption is that once a woman becomes more aware of her physiological and psychological processes she will be in a better position to detect malfunction early and will be more concerned with taking care of her body. In the medical service, the female physician provided an atmosphere where patient questions were encouraged and warmly answered. This personal attention was reinforced by individual and group counseling for problems of female identity, pregnancy, relationships, etc., and by the educational program which dealt with such topics as female physiology, legal rights, family planning, and nutrition. Both counseling and medical efforts were involved in helping women to deal with their attitudes toward their own health and to accept responsibility for the control of their health. Thus, the total development of women was fostered by the provision of total services. Evaluating Outcomes The women's clinic represents a model for accountability in health services based on an evaluation by the women who receive these services and the behavioral changes they manifest because they have received them. One outcome mentioned by many female patients is the feeling that they have more control over their own health. Another outcome is an increase in the members from all segments of the community (all ages and ethnic groups) who use the clinic's services and a decrease in the incidence of female health and social problems in the community. Probably the outcome most often mentioned by the participants is that they have a sense of community, of a time and place where they can come together and discover themselves, both individually and collectively. The women's clinic has also contributed to change in other community agencies. The very presence of the women's clinic demonstrated the unmet needs of women in the community. County and private agencies are adopting many of the methods of the women's clinic to serve their patients. And female patients who now realize that these services are possible are demanding a response from other agencies. Conclusion The women's clinic is composed of women trying to help other women. The clinic is a model for providing comprehensive services from women, to women, and by women through community orientation and participant control.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.