Page 48 - LIN-November-2024-web-file

FACT

CHECKING:

The Truth About Federally Qualified Health Centers

by Jamie Ulmer,
President and CEO of Healthcare Network
n the spirit of election season, some MYTH 3: FQHC are government run
FACT CHECKING —while Florida We are a nonprofit operating under the direction of a patient-
Iis home to 54 Federally Qualified majority governing board. We receive revenue from many sources
Health Centers (FQHC), people sometimes including patient payments, commercial insurance, Medicaid,
misunderstand these centers and their benefits to Medicare, foundations, donations and grants. Our center unites
community health. philanthropy and public investment to benefit the community.
MYTH 1: Community clinics provide lower MYTH 4: FQHCs don’t have specialized services
quality health care In addition to routine health, school and sports physicals, we can
Our patient outcomes equal or exceed those of other primary diagnose and manage chronic, major, and minor illnesses, provide
care providers. Community health centers like Healthcare Network prenatal care and more.
offer a full array of primary care services, including dental, medical, We have over 450 doctors, nurses, dentists, behavioral health
mental health, X-Ray, lab and pharmacy, often in one location. providers, pharmacists and support staff, who provide accessible,
What’s more, we’re at the forefront of an important trend by affordable, quality and culturally appropriate care.
integrating mental and behavioral health services into our primary MYTH 5: Community health centers don’t make a difference
care. By seamlessly addressing both physical and mental health We lower the community’s health care costs, while improving
concerns, better health outcomes result. its health, providing jobs and tax revenue. We reduce the burdens
Recently, we launched Primary Care Addiction Treatment, on hospital emergency rooms and provide services such as free
expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment for substance immunizations for uninsured children.
use disorders. The goal: provide access to this essential treatment In addition, we are addressing the shortage of health care
in a setting without the stigma linked to specialized addiction workers in Southwest Florida by helping to train workers locally.
treatment centers. In 2020, we created annual medical assistant and pharmacy
MYTH 2: Care is only for the uninsured technician training programs, and recently added phlebotomy
More than 100 million Americans are medically training.
disenfranchised, which means they may not have access to primary In collaboration with Florida State University College of
care due to a shortage of providers. Only one in 10 medically Medicine, Healthcare Network is developing a family medicine
disenfranchised patients are uninsured. Children represent nearly residency program. Also planned is an Advanced Education in
a quarter of people without access to care. Pediatric Dentistry Program (AEPD) to launch in June 2025,
For us, underserved means areas of Collier County lacking where dental residents will also train with Lee Health.
available health care services. In Golden Gate, which was identified The truth? Nonprofit health centers like Healthcare Network
as one of the county’s most underserved communities for health are designed to act locally and remain agile, continually working to
care, we opened the Nichols Community Health Center in 2020. bridge gaps in care by expanding services to meet our community’s
In May, we broke ground for construction of the Orangetree growing needs.
Community Health Center in north central Collier, an area About the Author
without any health clinics or medical centers. The $15 million, two Jamie Ulmer is President and CEO of Healthcare Network.
story complex will ensure that more than 41,000 residents in the He serves on the executive and chair committees for the Florida
Orangetree area, including Golden Gate Estates, will have access Association of Community Health Centers and is a member of multiple
to high-quality medical care. We accept out-of-area, out-of-town committees for the National Association of Community Health Centers.
and visiting patients. We accept insurance and provide a sliding- For an appointment, call 239-658-3000 or visit healthcareswfl.org.
scale fee based on income.

239-658-3000 HealthcareSWFL.org SUPPORT: healthcareswfl.org/donate/

4848 www.LifeInNaples.net