Health Center has been growing for 10 years
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Flint Hills Community Health Center had two reasons to celebrate Friday — National Community Health Center Week and the 10th anniversary of the health center being designated a federally qualified center.
The center held a noon celebration on Friday to honor the center’s successes and growth over the past 10 years.
“Things like 10th anniversaries don’t happen just because,” said Lougene Marsh, executive director of the center. Marsh added that through the foresight of Terry Lambert, of Newman Regional Health, and the courage of the Lyon County Commission, the center was formed.
Marsh said federally qualified health centers are all about providing access to care to the uninsured and under served. The center saw more than 8,000 unduplicated patients in 2006.
“We offer that today in celebration with all of you,” Marsh said.
Sen. Jim Barnett and Rep. Peggy Mast were presented and honored during the program for their work in health care.
Mast commented on the success of the center.
“The Emporia center is one that is envied by the majority of the rest of the state,” Mast said. “Emporia has set a standard...”
Barnett said access to health care is better because of health centers.
“Anybody in this state regardless of color of skin or income, we’re going to take care of them,” Barnett said.
Tony Wellever, interim executive director of the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, spoke at the event. He said there are more than 300,000 people in Kansas without health insurance and roughly 900,000 Kansans who have incomes below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
Community health centers take a two-pronged approach to medical care, Wellever said. They provide assistance to those with low income but also focus on quality of care.
“No one is ever turned away from a community health center,” Wellever said. “They are more than a place where people to for episodic care. They are a medical home.”
Marsh outlined the center’s successes over the past 10 years. In 1997, the center was doing just primary care. By the time Marsh came on board in 2001, a dental clinic was offered and doubled in patient load by 2002. Also in 2001, staff positions were added. In 2002, mental health services were added. The next year, 2003, brought another family practice provider and extended hours for the health center, which included evening hours and Saturday morning hours.
The center began offering telemedicine in Chase County in 2004 and in 2005 the 340B prescription drug program was launched. Nearly 2,500 patients of the center have received prescription drugs though that program since in was established.
The pediatrician position went from part time to full time in 2006 and a satellite clinic was opened in Osage County.
This year, the center is celebrating a grant from the Jones Trust to turn the dental clinic into a dental hub, doubling its capacity.
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