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Akron health agency stretches its safety net as recession digs in
By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
Published on Sunday, May 17, 2009
And the timing couldn't be better.
Twelve months ago, the agency reopened its low-cost dental clinic in Akron after financial problems forced the program to close a year earlier.
Six months later, it opened a satellite medical practice called Portage Community Health Resources in Robinson Memorial Hospital's former urgent-care center on state Route 59 in Kent.
Since then, the nation's economy has gone into a downward spiral, leaving thousands of area residents unemployed and uninsured.
''People are stressed,'' said Christina T. Coenen, director of clinical services for the Akron and Kent locations. ''Their health is important to them. They need to have a place where they can go.''
The agency has seen roughly a 30 percent increase in patients who recently lost their health insurance, Chief Executive John Sniezek said.
Unemployment rates are 9.6 percent in Summit County and 10.4 percent in Portage County, according to the most recent figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. A year ago, the rates were 5.8 percent in Summit County and 6.3 percent in Portage County.
''We didn't anticipate that kind of growth in the uninsured,'' Sniezek said. ''But that's OK. We're serving our mission.''
The agency's dental and medical practices accept private insurance as well as Medicaid, the state-run health insurance for the poor.
Uninsured clients pay on a sliding scale, with the poorest patients paying a minimum of $20 for medical visits and $40 for dental visits — amounts that Sniezek said generally don't cover the cost of providing care.
As a federally qualified health center, Akron Community Health Resources receives higher Medicare and Medicaid payments to help make up for care provided to uninsured patients.
Overall, the agency has an annual budget of about $4.8 million, with revenue exceeding expenses by less than 1 percent, Sniezek said.
''Currently,'' he said, ''we're self-sustaining, looking to seek other revenues that are available.''
The dental clinic still is losing about $10,000 a month, but those losses are offset by modest profits in the medical area, he said.
About 58 percent of the 922 patients seen in the dental office since it reopened a year ago are uninsured, Dental Director Kris Drummond said.
Drummond recently started providing preventive dental visits for pediatric patients and emergency care for adults in the Kent office once a month.
Portage Community Health Resources is getting $95,000 from the federal government to open two dental treatment areas later this year, Sniezek said. The money is part of $520,000 in federal stimulus dollars the agency is receiving, much of which is designated to pay for electronic medical records at all locations.
Since opening in November, the Portage County office has served more than 2,150 patients, according to data from Akron Community Health Resources.
About 45 percent of the patients are uninsured, and 26 percent are covered by Medicaid.
The creation of the Portage County health center was the culmination of years of work by community leaders to build a safety net for the county's 30,000 to 45,000 uninsured and underinsured residents.
The staff is working with the community to form partnerships and let residents know about its services, said Dr. Angela DeJulius, medical consultant for Portage Community Health Resources.
''Our goal is for everyone in the community to know this is a place they can come to get health care,'' she said.
Serita Eiland, a single mother from Kent, uses the Portage Community Health Resources location for health and dental services for herself and four of her children, ranging in age from 15 to 2.
Eiland, a student at Walsh University, gets her health insurance through the federal Medicare program. Her children are covered by Medicaid, which she said she has discovered not all doctors accept.
Eiland said she likes the convenience of the Kent office, which takes walk-in appointments for medical care.
During one recent visit when she and her 2-year-old daughter, Zakaia, were both sick, a doctor took care of her while a nurse practitioner cared for Zakaia in the same room at the same time.
''I am really satisfied, because there is just one place that takes care of all my needs,'' Eiland said. ''It opens up more options for choices in health care.''
Sniezek said the organization wants to continue to expand its offerings at Portage County and add satellite offices.
Plans to bring additional services to needy patients also are in the works.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 02:49 PM, 05/17/2009
"Eiland said she likes the convenience of the Kent office, which takes walk-in appointments for medical care." ---- a big problem with many people. they want to see the doctor TODAY and not wait for an appointment. Emergency rooms get clogged up by many on Medicaid and SCHIPP because mom and dad don't want to wait for an appointment. This clinic serves a great need in the community. Can it be a model for a low-cost delivery system of routine health care?
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 05:07 AM, 05/18/2009
UHC is the answer, but we have yet to hear of Obama's plan. That has to include a way to pay for it without raising taxes in this bad econmoy. I'm beginning to believe he talks a good game, but can't deliver on his promises. With his huge Demorat majorities in Congress, this should be a slam dunk as LeBron would say. It can be done.
california, us
Posted 04:45 AM, 05/22/2009
If you are uninsured and does not have insurance, you should check out the website http://UninsuredAmerica.blogspot.com - John Mayer, California
