Meet Carlos Gutierrez | President & Physician Assistant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos Gutierrez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
As the proud owner of InclusiCare Medical, I am honored to share the significant impact our practice is making on our local community. We are dedicated to providing personalized and inclusive health care services, especially tailored to meet the unique needs of Spanish-speaking, LGBTQIA+, and Deaf communities. With nearly a decade of experience as a primary care provider, I understand that accessibility is one of the biggest challenges in health care.

To address this, we accept both insurance and direct cash payments, ensuring that comprehensive medical services are accessible to everyone. Our transparent pricing model and commitment to removing financial barriers foster a welcoming environment where every individual can receive quality care tailored to their needs. This dedication helps us build strong, trusting relationships with our patients and positively influence their health and well-being.

At InclusiCare Medical, we actively partner with various community organizations to enhance the services we provide. For instance, we prioritize referring our patients to specialists who understand and cater to their specific needs. A transgender individual with mental health needs is referred to Noble Path, an LGBTQ-owned practice specializing in these areas. Similarly, we ensure that our Spanish-speaking or Deaf patients can effectively communicate with the specialists they consult.

We also engage with national organizations such as the National PA Foundation and the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to obtain grants focused on the detection and eradication of HIV infection in our local communities. These grants enable us to provide free HIV testing and treatment. Beyond our headquarters, we extend these services through our mobile clinic, reaching various community hotspots, including unsheltered centers and gay-friendly venues.

The team at InclusiCare Medical is proud of our efforts to bridge the gap between quality health care and our communities. While we have made significant strides, our goals are far from being met. We continue to expand our reach, ensuring that those who need health care the most can access it, thereby making a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients.

Finally, we are a clinical preceptorship site meaning we provide clinical placement for medical professions students such as PA students, nurse practitioner students, and medical students. Carlos has been a preceptor for many years and our organization is proud to provide a site for students to learn family medicine during an era when clinical sites are in shortage. More importantly, we are able to provide slow cost housing to our students in an effort to decrease their costs during their training. Our work is important, and we continue strive to achieve our goals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Our Journey and Achievements

Our journey began with a clear mission: to bridge the gap between quality healthcare and marginalized communities. As a Latino and gay-owned practice, we understand the challenges that come with seeking compassionate and competent medical care. InclusiCare Medical was founded to address these gaps and create a welcoming environment where every patient feels valued and understood.

Challenges and Triumphs

Our journey has not been without challenges. Establishing a practice that champions inclusivity in a complex health care landscape required resilience and determination. Financial constraints, navigating insurance networks, and ensuring cultural competence within our team were significant hurdles. Obtaining insurance contracts with our existing patients’ insurers has been the most straining challenge to our success. However, our commitment to our mission and the support from our community is helping us overcome these obstacles.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am exceptionally proud to be a Phoenician transplant now for more than a decade. My best friend is coming for a long Halloween weekend, and I can divulge our itinerary:

Thursday (Halloween): We’ll start off the evening with a delicious dinner at Belly devouring their spicy Bao tacos! The gay community does it best when preparing their outfits for Halloween. We will hit up Charlie’s just down the street from our headquarters, and jump around the other gay bars to enjoy the shows (Karamba, Stacy’s, Kobalt).

Friday: Enjoy a beautiful hike up Camelback Mountain in the early morning ending with a savory breakfast at Nami vegan bakery. Dinner is at Thea

Saturday: Spend most of the day enjoying the local shopping on Melrose mile but making sure to start our day with our friends at First Place Coffee, the Honeycomb is a must. They are particularly good at making a nice ceremonial matcha.

Sunday: Today calls for the National Day of Rest but not before enjoying a nice walk with the dogs down our freshly painted canal walkway in Melrose mile and sending our friend off to the airport.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Our team at InclusiCare Medical (ICM) is the backbone of our success and the reason behind our impactful presence in the community. ICM is more than just a health care provider; it’s a family of dedicated professionals who bring their passion, expertise, and heart to work every day.

Carlos Gutierrez EdD, MMS, PA-C
Carlos, a family medicine PA, is a cornerstone of our practice. His extensive knowledge, compassionate care, and ability to connect with patients make him an invaluable asset. Carlos leads by example, demonstrating a deep commitment to patient-centered care that inspires the entire team.

Martita Marcano MD
Dr. Marcano, our esteemed Medical Director, is the guiding light of InclusiCare Medical. With a wealth of experience and a profound commitment to patient care, Dr. Marcano’s leadership ensures the highest standards of medical practice within our team. Her clinical expertise and compassionate approach to health care inspire both our staff and patients alike.

Fernando Fernandez-Zavala, RDS: Medical Assistant and Business Manager
Fernando Fernandez-Zavala is an indispensable part of the InclusiCare Medical team, serving as both our medical assistant and business manager. His dual role is a testament to his versatility and dedication. As a medical assistant, Fernando’s meticulous attention to detail ensures that our patients receive the highest standard of care. His warm and approachable demeanor helps put patients at ease, making their experience at InclusiCare Medical positive and reassuring.

In his role as business manager, Fernando’s keen organizational skills and strategic thinking keep our operations running smoothly. He expertly balances the administrative demands of the practice with a deep commitment to patient care. Fernando’s ability to seamlessly integrate these responsibilities makes him a critical asset to our team, and his contributions are integral to our continued success.

Veronica Gutierrez: Vice President of Administration and Billing
Veronica Gutierrez, our Vice President of Administration and Billing, is the driving force behind the seamless administrative operations at InclusiCare Medical. Her extensive expertise in health care administration and billing ensures that our practice runs efficiently and that our patients’ billing and insurance processes are handled with the utmost accuracy and professionalism.

Veronica’s leadership in administrative tasks and her deep understanding of the complexities of medical billing allow us to focus on what we do best—providing exceptional patient care. Her commitment to excellence and her proactive approach to problem-solving have significantly improved our administrative workflows. Veronica’s dedication to both the team and our patients is evident in every aspect of her work, making her an invaluable member of the InclusiCare Medical family.

Hank and Dozer
Our mascots, Hank and Dozer, play a unique and heartwarming role in our practice. Their presence brings a sense of comfort and joy to both our patients and staff. They remind us of the importance of a welcoming and supportive environment, which is at the heart of InclusiCare Medical.

Patient Community
Lastly, our patients deserve recognition. Their trust, feedback, and engagement are what drive us to continually improve and expand our services. They inspire us every day to push the boundaries of what is possible in community health care.

Our journey at InclusiCare Medical is a testament to the collective efforts of a diverse and dedicated group of individuals and organizations. The support, mentorship, and encouragement we receive fuel our mission to provide inclusive, accessible, and quality health care to all. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our story – your contributions are deeply appreciated and celebrated.

Website: https://www.inclusicaremedical.com

Instagram: @inclusicaremedical

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