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Primary Medical Care

Photos courtesy of Joyce Fletcher Copyright 2011 and Alyssa Marie Aviles Copyright 2013

Primary health care is one of the foundations of the Health Care Center for the Homeless (HCCH). Lack of access to care is a major barrier faced by our homeless and uninsured patients. Chronic illnesses have gone untreated and in some cases have reached life threatening levels. Early detection and treatment are crucial in managing disease and many of our patients have gone years without seeing a medical provider by the time they arrive at our Health Center. Our medical staff consists of a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, medical assistants, and student interns. We strive to create a "medical home" for our patients with the goal of preventing the inappropriate use of the local emergency rooms for non- emergent situations. Through the Health Disparities Collaborative, a program designed to reduce disparities in health outcomes for minority and underserved people, we use the Chronic Care model. Through health education, this model empowers the patient to take charge in managing their own health. We provide treatment and evaluation for chronic health conditions including diabetes and hypertension. With the opening of our clinic, the Orange Blossom Family Health Center, in 2006 we were able to double our prior medical capacity and reach a total of eight exam rooms. Our Phase II expansion in 2008 brought our number of medical exam rooms to 12. In 2012 our Phase III expansion was completed. We currently have 14 medical exam rooms and two triages, enabling us to serve even more patients. One of our primary goals at the HCCH is to reduce the improper use of the local emergency rooms for non-emergent care. While some health incidents require this kind of care, many of our homeless clients use the emergency room for primary care needs. HCCH can address these needs and provide a medical home for our patients. We employ a Health Navigator in the emergency room at Orlando Health who routes homeless individuals to our Health Center. Here they can receive consistent medical care and education on how to manage their own health. In 2009, 466 of the patients our Health Navigator encountered became established patients at our Health Center. In 2010, 524 homeless individuals became regular patients at the Orange Blossom Family Health Center after contact with our Health Navigator. In 2010, our Health Navigator also encountered reduced numbers of homeless individuals within the emergency room at Orlando Health. As we provide primary medical care, we have an Orange County Referral Specialist on site. Through this program, uninsured Orange County residents who qualify are referred to secondary care providers in partnership with the Orange County Health Department. Having the Referral Specialist here with our Health Center provides a great convenience for our patients who may lack regular transportation. HCCH also administers a screening mammography program for our female patients in greatest need, provided through a mobile unit that comes to our Health Center. This program began as a partnership with the Femmes de Coeur in an effort to provide access to this life saving service for women over 40 who had never received a mammogram. Since its inception in November of 2006, the program has provided over 1400 mammograms.