Agenda - 12-12-2006-5f - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County Health Department 12 of Health member and a County Commissioner, voted in favor of it. The Orange Community Health Assessment completed in December 2003 further substantiated this need. The number one issue identified by the community was `Barriers to receiving services: cost of healthcare, lack of insurance, and geographic availability of services'. Since January 2005, primary care services have been offered to clients enrolled in our traditional prevention programs -Family Planning, Prenatal, and Well Child Services - in our Hillsborough clinic. Primary care services include diagnosis and treatment of acute health conditions as well as monitoring and care of chronic diseases. Since the advent of primary care services at the Hillsborough clinic, clients accessing preventive services at our Southern Human Services Clinic in Chapel Hill have also requested the provision of primary care. Currently they must either travel to the Hillsborough clinic for such services or be referred elsewhere. Carrboro Community Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving low- income clients, has had a 3-month waiting period during the suzlluzer of 2006 for new patients. Many new prenatal patients who could not be seen there have been referred to OCHD for services. In addition, UNC Hospitals recently discontinued their Urgent Care Clinic associated with the Emergency Department. This further limited accessibility for clients without a medical home. In the recently completed 2006-11 OCHD Strategic Plan adopted by the Board of Health, expansion of primary care services to Southern Human Services Center was identified as an implementation strategy in FY 06-07. III Description of Capital Need (1 page) 20 points With the proposed expansion of primary care services to the Southern Human Services Center, we will have additional equipment and space needs. An EKG machine will be needed to assess the cardiac status of primary care patients, especially those presenting with symptoms. A handicapped accessible Lift Exam Table will be necessary to be ADA-compliant. A replacement copier machine is needed to make clear copies of primary care schedules, records, forms, brochures, and educational materials. The addition of 5 part-time personnel will require adequate office space to accommodate staff accessing e- mails, working on the computer, and completing record keeping. We anticipate renovating a current small office used for storage of equipment/supplies/educational materials into an office space with two office modules and chairs. Two additional office modules and chairs will be centrally located near the medical records/reception area. Modules will be equipped with a desktop computer and phone. A small alcove will be enclosed to serve as a new storage area for equipment, supplies and patient literature. IV Relationship between Community Need & Capital Request (2 pages) 25 points This capital request is in conjunction with a program grant application to expand primary care services to Southern Human Services Center. To increase access to care for uninsured and medically indigent persons, we will be adding additional temporary personnel. The personnel will need office space to coordinate referral and follow-up services for clients by phone, to provide appointment reminder calls, to research medicaUpsychosocial treatment options available in the community, and to complete their administrative responsibilities. EKG equipment will assure primary care clients are receiving timely and specified cardiac assessments to protect health. A Lift Exam Table will assure we are providing services to all county residents, including those with physical disabilities. We anticipate that once funding is awarded, we will proceed with renovations and purchase of equipment to assure start up of primary care 12