The truth about federally qualified health centers

The truth about federally qualified health centers

Health care will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion during the election campaigns in the coming months.

A significant movement to address the transportation, economic and socio-cultural barriers to accessing care and improving the lives of Americans began nearly 60 years ago with the establishment of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), which provide care to 31.5 million patients, or one in 11 people nationwide.

Florida is home to 54 community health centers providing services to residents in every county delivering care to more than 1.7 million patients through 7 million patient visits. Unfortunately, despite a distinguished record of providing high-quality care, people sometimes misunderstand these centers and their benefits to communities and health.

Myth 1: Community clinics provide lower-quality health care than traditional facilities.

Our patient outcomes equal or exceed those of other primary care providers. Community health centers like Healthcare Network offer a full array of primary care services, including dental, medical, mental health, X-ray, lab and access to prescription medications, often all in one location.

ULMER

What’s more, we are at the forefront of an important healthcare trend by providing integrated mental and behavioral health services into our primary care. This means our team can more easily and seamlessly address both physical and mental health concerns, resulting in better health outcomes.

Recently, we launched Primary Care Addiction Treatment (PCAT), expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders. The goal of the program is to provide access to this essential treatment in a setting without the stigma linked to specialized addiction treatment centers. This will help patients with substance use disorders to decrease usage, mitigate adverse behaviors and enhance quality of life for them and their families.

Myth 2: Care is only for the uninsured.

More than 100 million Americans are medically disenfranchised, which means they may not have access to primary care due to a shortage of providers in their community. Only one in 10 medically disenfranchised patients are uninsured. Children represent nearly a quarter of people without access to care.

For us, underserved means areas of Collier County lacking available health care services, including areas like Everglades City, and more rural parts of Collier County. Recognizing a need in Golden Gate, which was identified as one of the most underserved communities in health care for Collier, we opened the Nichols Community Health Center in 2020.

Most recently, in May we broke ground for the construction of the Orangetree Community Health Center in the north-central region of Collier County. The $15-million, two story medical complex will ensure that more than 41,000 residents in the Orangetree area, including Golden Gate Estates, will have access to high-quality medical care. The once-rural region is now one of Southwest Florida’s fastest-growing areas, but it remains a “health care desert” without any health clinics or medical centers.

We accept out-of-area, out-of-town and visiting patients. We accept insurance and provide a sliding-scale fee based on income. It’s our mission to provide care to whoever needs it.

Myth 3: FQHC are government-run.

We are a nonprofit organization that operates under the direction of a patient-majority governing board. As a result, we are an organization created by the community for the needs of the community.

We receive revenue from many sources, including patient payments, commercial insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, foundations, donations and grants. Our center brings together philanthropy and public investment to benefit the community.

Myth 4: FQHCs don’t have specialized treatment or services.

In addition to routine health, school and sports physicals, we provide specialized treatments and services. You can come to us to diagnose and manage chronic, major, and minor illnesses, receive prenatal care, and more.

We have over 400 doctors, nurses, dentists, behavioral health providers, pharmacists and support staff to serve the community. Each year these individuals provide accessible, affordable, quality and culturally appropriate care to more than 55,000 patients, including nearly half of the children in Collier.

Myth 5: Community health centers don’t make a difference.

We are poised to improve public health by reducing the burdens on hospital emergency rooms and providing services such as free immunizations for uninsured children. We lower the community’s health care costs, while improving the health of the community, providing jobs and tax revenue.

In addition, we are addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in Southwest Florida by helping to train workers locally.

In 2020, we created annual medical assistant and pharmacy technician training programs, and recently added phlebotomy training, offering paid training, benefits and paid time off that enable participants to become registered medical assistants, pharmacy technicians or phlebotomists.

In collaboration with the Florida State College of Medicine, Healthcare Network is developing a family medicine residency program. Also in the works is an Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry Program to launch in June 2025, where dental residents will also have training experience with Lee Health, specifically Golisano Children’s Hospital.

The truth? Nonprofit health centers like Healthcare Network are designed to act locally and remain agile, continually working to bridge gaps in care by expanding services to meet our community’s growing needs. ¦

Jamie Ulmer is the president and CEO of Healthcare Network. He serves on the executive and chair committees for both the Florida Association of Community Health Centers and National Association of Community Health Centers. For information, visit healthcareswfl.org .

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