Many individuals get their major care by standard docs’ places of work. However these settings could not work for everybody. In a few of these instances, Federally Certified Well being Facilities (FQHCs) could also be an choice, making it potential to beat many conventional boundaries to care.
In 1965, the U.S. authorities established FQHCs, often known as Neighborhood Well being Facilities, to develop well being care entry in America. That makes 2025 the sixtieth anniversary of this establishment.
At the moment, there are about 1,400 FQHCs within the U.S. offering very important providers in our communities. Right here within the Philadelphia space there are about 20 of them.
In my function as a Inhabitants Well being Specialist at Independence Blue Cross (IBX), I get to work with quite a few FQHCs. Right here’s why I believe they’re so necessary, and the way my staff collaborates with them to shut gaps in care.
FQHCs Make Care Accessible No matter Earnings
FQHCs present look after low-income people or those that lack medical insurance. This makes well being care accessible for somebody who in any other case could not be capable to afford it.
FQHCs additionally serve those that do have medical insurance. FQHCs usually use a sliding charge scale to verify care is inside attain for all sufferers.
FQHCs Present Care in Medically Underserved Areas
Many neighborhoods don’t have sufficient common major care places of work, so there could also be lengthy wait occasions to get an appointment. Some areas have no common major care places of work, which may make getting care even tougher. So, many individuals merely don’t search care once they want it.
FQHCs are sometimes positioned in these neighborhoods on goal to fill a important want and enhance entry to care.
FQHCs Ship Full-Service Care in One Place
When folks need to go to a unique place to see every of their docs (major care, eye physician, dentist, and so forth.) it may be overwhelming. It could actually additionally make it too arduous to remain on high of the care they want. Particularly if they’re additionally caring for younger youngsters or different family members, that’s much more appointments they should schedule.
Plus, not everybody can get day off from work, or time away from their households, to go to separate appointments for various kinds of care. Transportation will also be a barrier.
Usually, FQHCs present a mess of well being care providers beneath one roof. An important instance is Delaware Valley Neighborhood Well being (DVCH), which presents on-site grownup and pediatric major care, OB-GYN providers, behavioral well being care, optometry, podiatry, dental care, HIV care, hepatitis C care, and extra. That makes it potential for sufferers to maintain a number of well being wants in a single place, all on the identical day. It may be an actual game-changer.
DVCH additionally presents wraparound care coordination and social providers, authorized recommendation, and well being schooling. They’ll even help with medical insurance enrollment. They actually go above and past what some common places of work present and meet wants that in any other case usually go unfulfilled.
