Fiscal year 2025 expanded hours. - health center program: H80CS00848 description of project: northeastern oklahoma community health center, INC. (neohealth) was founded in 2001, received its notice of…

Fiscal year 2025 expanded hours. - health center program: H80CS00848 description of project: northeastern oklahoma community health center, INC. (neohealth) was founded in 2001, received its notice of grant award as a new start community health center in 2002, and began providing health care services in hulbert, OK, in cherokee county. Neohealth has expanded to include 15 fixed, permanent service delivery sites across adair, cherokee, mayes, and muskogee counties, OK, as well as an administrative site and a mobile medical van site, both based in hulbert. Through expanded hours funding, neohealth will increase morning, evening, and weekend hours that medical services are offered at its tahlequah pediatrics site (1310 e. Boone ST., tahlequah, OK 74464) from the current level of 53 hours per week to 68 hours per week. This proposal for increasing hours of operation will meet identified needs in the tahlequah community, including reducing unnecessary emergency department (ED) visits. Needs to be addressed: data from the service area reveal systemic, widespread health disparities and emphasize the need for comprehensive primary and preventive health services that are accessible to those with low incomes and the uninsured. Within the service area, 43.0% of individuals live with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. In 2021, a fifth (19.7%) of service area residents under age 65 were uninsured (the most recent county-level single-year uninsured rates available), and among those with incomes under 200% FPG, 24.7% were uninsured (small area health insurance estimates: 2021, census bureau, 2023). The population to provider ratio in the service area demonstrates a severe shortage of primary care providers, presenting a significant barrier to care, particularly for low-income residents. All four service area counties are designated health professional shortage areas (hpsas) and medically underserved areas (muas) (find shortage areas, hrsa, 2024). Patient barriers such as working hours, inability to miss work for lost wages or threat of losing their job altogether, and lack of available childcare contribute to difficulties in accessing care during normal business hours. This can result in costly outcomes such as delaying needed care or seeking non-urgent care in the local emergency department. Proposed services: the proposed project will address the need for comprehensive primary health care services in the community and target population. By increasing availability of non-traditional hours, neohealth will address the GAP in health care access that often results in inappropriate ED use or untreated health conditions. Neohealth will increase hours at the tahlequah pediatrics site, expanding medical services to meet service area's identified lack of access. Collaborative relationships include local partners that will refer patients to neohealth for expanded hours services, complementing outreach efforts to inform the community. Proposed staffing to support project implementation include two 0.25 FTE pediatricians, three 0.25 FTE medical assistants, 0.5 FTE referral coordinator, and three 0.25 FTE direct support representatives (dsrs) who will serve as front desk staff. This proposal will also be supported by a contract with northeastern health system providing diagnostic laboratory services for neohealth patients during extended hours. Population groups to be served: neohealth is available to serve the general community, but prioritizes serving low-income individuals in the service area, including medicaid recipients and the underinsured/uninsured. All presenting patients will receive high-quality services, regardless of ability to pay, and neohealth will work to reduce barriers to care with an array enabling and financial services including a sliding fee discount schedule. Expanded hours funding will foster a more accessible and patient-centered service delivery system, while reducing disparities within the community.