Acute Care and Midlevel Practitioner Program
October 6, 2011 by Kelly · Leave a Comment
In January 2010, HealthReach opened its new Acute Care / Midlevel Practitioner program. This program is the result of direct patient feedback that HealthReach waiting times for sick call appointments were too long to be effective and that community access to acute care services for non emergency illness was extremely limited for uninsured persons with little or no means to pay. The program is currently implemented by Donna Carson PA, under the formal collaborating supervision of HealthReach volunteer physicians. The program provides efficient no-appointment-necessary sick call and walk-in encounters for adults with non emergency acute illnesses. Patients are provided with onsite diagnostic testing and prescription medications from the clinic dispensaries as needed. Nonregistered patients are provided one-time service and are encouraged to become patients. Early and late weekday hours combined with Saturday hours allow individuals to receive care with minimal lost time from work.
Since its inception in January 2010 the Acute Care Program has conducted 1431 visits. Based on information obtained from direct patient feedback, access to the HealthReach acute care clinic has saved over 330 emergency department visits and over $101,000 in direct patient charges.