by Kirby Lindsay, posted 8 December 2014
Today, December 8th, Neighborcare Health officially opens the first phase of its new community health center at Meridian. Located at 10501 Meridian Ave N, the new clinic probably won’t be as useful to Fremonsters as ‘our’ clinic, at Greenwood, but it will lessen some of the pressure – and crowding – there.
Since 2002, the Neighborcare Health Greenwood Medical Clinic has provided men, women and children with a range of primary care health services, for the sick and for those striving to stay healthy. Neighborcare Health Clinics operate with the mission that, “everybody should have access to high-quality health care, regardless of their ability to pay,” explained Jennifer Brackett, Clinic Manager for Greenwood, Meridian and another new clinic coming to the St. Vincent De Paul store at 13555 Aurora Avenue N.
Clinics Around Seattle
Neighborcare Health Clinics, including Greenwood, serve low-income patients, including those uninsured or underinsured. For those striving to get coverage, Beckett offered, “our Eligibility Specialist helps them navigate,” the Washington Health Plan Finder, the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, “We’ll help you navigate the system.”
At Greenwood, Brackett observed, patients come from all walks of life – restaurant workers, students, immigrants, small business owners (and workers,) seniors, etc. Over 40 years, Neighborcare Health (originally Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Center,) has become the largest provider of medical, dental and mental health care for low-income and uninsured people in Seattle. “Everybody knows about our clinics,” Brackett observed, “but doesn’t know they are all connected.”
The two new Neighborcare Health clinics join 24 others spread around Seattle, but many, unlike Greenwood, have a specific focus. In Ballard, the Nyer Urness House has a clinic specifically for homeless adults, at Georgetown they see only minors, and the 45th Street Clinic has a small primary care clinic and a dental clinic only for children and pregnant women.
With Meridian, Neighborcare Health will be able to add, when completed, twelve dental chairs for more broad dental care (in a Neighborcare Health survey of teachers and staff at Seattle elementary schools, 73% of respondents identified toothaches or general dental problems as ‘highly prevalent’ or ‘prevalent.’) The clinic at St. Vincent De Paul, due to open in January 2015, will be another primary care clinic, but smaller than Greenwood, and aimed at serving the high-needs population along Aurora Avenue.
A Clinic At Greenwood
While both new clinics will help ease the need at Greenwood, this clinic will continue to provide quality, integrative, primary care with four general exam rooms, two OB-GYN rooms, and a basic eye exam area. They have maternity support services (including midwifery,) behavioral health, a nutritionist and a diabetes educator. They can help with chronic disease management, immunizations, and pharmacy/laboratory services.
North Seattle, which is commonly thought of as Seattle’s more affluent area, is home to the city’s largest number of low-income residents, and currently has the largest number of residents not served by a community health center. This has led to a crowded waiting room at Greenwood, where the staff can speak 40 different languages, and still must hire interpreters occasionally for additional languages.
With the Affordable Care Act, and insurance being more accessible, Neighborcare Health – and other community health centers aimed to help low-income patients – might seem less necessary. Yet, according to Brackett, “our mission has always been the same, what’s changed is that it is making it easier for us to see people.”
Community Health Clinics Give Back
A non-profit organization, Neighborcare Health fortunately doesn’t have to depend upon the 52,000 patients they serve each year to keep its clinic doors open. Neighborcare receives some funding from city, state, and federal grants. “Support of Community Health Centers (CHC) has bi-partisan support,” Brackett stated, “both political parties see the benefits to providing health care – it lowers health care costs across the system.” By offering preventative care, at a price anyone can afford, Neighborcare Health lowers the pressure on hospital emergency rooms, and reduces preventable diseases from spreading unnecessarily.
Patients who visit the Greenwood Medical Clinic meet with the Eligibility Specialist, who can help them identify if they qualify for insurance or Medicaid – or sign-up them up for on a sliding scale. Best of all, if a new patient cannot see the Eligibility Specialist before being treated, they have 45 days in which to fill out that paperwork. “People don’t plan to see the doctor,” Brackett acknowledged, “until they do.”
“It costs us money to keep our doors open,” Brackett said, “but we don’t turn anyone away.” In addition to patient payments and grants, they also get some of the funding from private insurance, Medicaid, private foundations, and private donors. Neighborcare Health participates in the Seattle Foundation GiveBig fundraising campaign, and they hold a spring fundraising dinner each year.
“If you, or someone you know, are struggling to get health care, Neighborcare Health is here,” Brackett said, “if you have the means, to help a good cause, CHCs are a really great way to give back!”
Learn more about Neighborcare Health, and the Greenwood Medical Clinic, on the website.
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©2014 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.