Many individuals work full-time with no benefits, cannot afford medical insurance on their own or simply are unable to find a job that offers medical care. For many, free clinics are their only chance for medical treatment. Available to both children and adults, free clinics are located throughout the United States and commonly found in largely populated cities. Smaller, local clinics are found in virtually every area and are the only forms of medical treatment for some children and their families.

The lack of medical insurance is a problem that affects many workers. When an unfortunate event arises, such as a sudden illness or injury, it can wipe out a family’s savings instantly. While clinics primarily offer general care and not surgical procedures, they are essential in helping the patient to determine if more extensive medical treatment may be required. In addition to testing, free clinics may also provide check-ups, immunizations and other common medical procedures.

The best way to locate free clinics is to inquire with the local health department as to the nearest facility. As patients can expect, clinics are very busy. As such, appointments are typically recommended if at all possible. In the case of an emergency, free clinics may be able to assist a patient or may direct them to the nearest emergency care facility. Early appointments are preferred with patients calling ahead at least one week in advance in order to confirm treatment. In the case of a sudden cold or flu onset, some clinics have the ability to accept patients on a walk-in basis. This is completely dependant upon the schedule and the number of patients with appointments, but there is always the possibility of receiving treatment as a walk-in patient.

The treatments provided at free clinics are often those conducted by qualified medical students, who are under close supervision by a licensed medical doctor. In exchange for the educational experience to students, a number of medical schools provide free clinics to patients without medical insurance or the income to afford paid medical care.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used in conjunction with, or in place of, professional medical advice. Patients who feel that they require ongoing care, which free clinics may not be able to provide, should consult their nearest hospital or medical center for proper diagnosis and treatments of their ailment.

The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is an approach to healthcare that is widely seen as a first step toward healthcare reform. The PCMH is usually a primary care office – family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics or geriatrics – that serves as the hub for all a patient’s medical needs. Focusing on the whole person, it provides continuous, comprehensive, coordinated care, establishing a partnership between patients and their personal healthcare team as part of an integrated medical neighborhood.

The PCMH emphasizes:

• Enhanced access, making it easier for patients to contact their personal healthcare team;
• Prevention and proactive management of chronic conditions, improving clinical quality and safety;
• Education to engage patients in their care to attain optimum health;
• A team approach to care; and
• Technology, such as electronic health record and patient registries, to facilitate information exchange, storage and retrieval.

According to the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, “Clinicians practicing in the highest level medical home will:

• “Take personal responsibility and accountability for the ongoing care of patients;
• Be accessible to their patients on short notice for expanded hours and open scheduling;
• Be able to conduct consultations through email and telephone;
• Utilize the latest health information technology and evidence-based medical approaches, as well as maintain updated electronic personal health records;
• Conduct regular check-ups with patients to identify looming health crises, and initiate treatment/prevention measures before costly, last-minute emergency procedures are required;
• Advise patients on preventative care based on environmental and genetic risk factors they face;
• Help patients make healthy lifestyle decisions; and
• Coordinate care, when needed, making sure procedures are relevant, necessary and performed efficiently.”1

To enable medical practices to adopt these priorities and build the appropriate infrastructure, the PCMH model realigns payment to blend standard fee-for-service reimbursement, a monthly care-management fee and a bonus for meeting or exceeding quality outcomes. Theoretically, this compensation model will shift the focus of care away from acute, episodic care toward more comprehensive, holistic care. It will incorporate both lower costs and better outcomes for patients.

Few practices can achieve the transformation to the PCMH on their own. Most lack the time, expertise and resources to transform their care delivery methods. On-site coaching by quality-improvement experts shows them how to adopt new work flows, realign staffing, acquire and use new technology to its fullest extent, and make the culture change to a quality-driven mindset. Once attained, the new framework allows a practice to improve operations, incorporate quality approaches and increase patients’ and care-givers’ satisfaction with the healthcare experience.

The PCMH narrows the gap between today’s fragmented healthcare system and tomorrow’s integrated approach.

Source
1. Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative. http://www.pcpcc.net/patient-centered-medical-home, accessed Aug. 15, 2011.