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Final Program


Final Congress Guide

Health Policy and Systems

700 Section - Bayanihan Beyond Borders: A Community-Based PM&R Pop-Up Model for Underserved Care and Trainee Education

Tuesday, May 19, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT
Objectives : Filipinos often face barriers to rehabilitation care due to immigration status, insurance limitations, healthcare costs, and limited health literacy. This project evaluated the feasibility of a free PM&R Pop-Up Education and Screening Service embedded within a community health fair to improve awareness of rehabilitation medicine, provide basic preventive screening, and offer experiential learning in community-based care for medical trainees serving primarily underserved Filipino immigrants.

Design: Two PM&R pop-up booths were deployed during community health events in the “Little Manila” neighborhoods of Queens, NY in collaboration with a trusted grassroots migrant worker organization. The Philippine American Physiatrist Association (PAPA) staffed the booths with attendings, residents, and medical students. The flow included preventive screening (blood pressure, blood glucose), general medicine consultation, PM&R stroke risk and musculoskeletal screening, and physical therapy–focused education. Community partners augmented services: nursing support, Department of Health public benefits information, mobile mammography scheduling, and primary care enrollment.

Results: Across two events, over 200 community members engaged with the PM&R booth. The booth was integrated into two health fairs without disrupting workflows, demonstrating logistical feasibility. Partnership with a trusted community organization was essential for reaching low-income and undocumented participants. Many attendees reported chronic pain, mobility limitations, and limited prior awareness of PM&R. Most participants completed screening and education within brief encounters, supporting operational efficiency. The model also proved feasible for trainee participation in culturally responsive, resource-limited care.

Conclusion: A PM&R Pop-Up Education and Screening model is a feasible and scalable approach to increasing rehabilitation awareness in underserved communities. Future efforts will focus on standardized data collection, referral tracking, outcome evaluation, and adaptation of this model for broader community health settings.