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Kraft Center Recruiting Next Round of Fellows and Practitioners; Applications Due November 15th

11-8-12 Feature Story:

Part of an effort to increase access to quality care, close to home

11-8-12 - Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced the launch of a new media campaign to support his NeighborCare initiative, an effort to eliminate health disparities by improving residents' access to needed health services in their neighborhoods. Led by the Boston Public Health Commission, and in close partnership with the city's community health centers, teaching hospitals, health plans, and health care quality advocates, the initiative hopes to strengthen the capacity of community health centers and hospitals to offer the right care, at the right place, and at the right time. See the campaign images here.

"By providing high-quality care close to home, our community health centers are some of Boston's greatest assets," Mayor Menino said. "I'm really proud of the work all our partners have done to promote primary care in community settings, and I hope our marketing campaign will introduce even more folks to these resources right in their neighborhoods."

Argus Communications developed and executed the media campaign to raise awareness about the quality and availability of Boston's community health centers. The new ads will be displayed at MBTA stations and bus shelters during the month of November. "When you are sick or hurt, call the neighbor you know," reads one poster. "Care. With you at the center," it goes on to say.

Community health centers represent the largest primary care network in the state. Boston's 24 health centers care for more than 300,000 people, or roughly half of the city's residents, annually. They also represent a major source of care for medically underserved populations. In addition to providing traditional medical care, community health centers offer an array of specialty services such as dental, vision, and behavioral health care. In recent years, Boston's community health centers have expanded their capacity to provide same-day or walk-in appointments for urgent care, and many centers now have on-site pharmacies as well.

Noting the demand for urgent care at his health center, Dr. Patrick Egan, chief medical officer at Dorchester House Multi- Services Center, said, "Our patients love it because they can get care when they need it right in their neighborhood. Our doctors and nurses love it because they learn what's happening with their patients right away. Even the insurers love it because our patients are using the ER less for unnecessary visits."

$51 million in recent funding from the federal stimulus and health care reform acts has allowed 14 community health centers in Boston to expand operations, hire new physicians and nurses, upgrade technology, and undertake facility renovation projects. Dorchester House, Codman Square, Mattapan, East Boston, and Whittier Street health centers have all expanded or opened brand new facilities in the past two years.

Data from the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy have shown that emergency departments are frequently used for non-emergency care or for care that could have been provided by a primary care clinician. By promoting community health centers as a front line resource, NeighborCare aims to improve the continuity of care for patients and to reduce the higher costs associated with treating issues such as a sore throat or cough in an emergency department setting.

NeighborCare's partners have developed a set of guidelines to help transition patients that are treated in Boston's emergency departments back to their community health centers and to improve communication among all health care providers. The working group that developed this set of best practices reviewed challenges around issues such as data sharing across institutions and the need for the entire health care system to deliver consistent and appropriate education to patients. The simple, straightforward procedures that resulted from the group's work will be implemented in emergency and community health care settings. This coordination will help ensure that patients receive high quality, seamless care no matter where they are treated.

Mayor Menino announced NeighborCare in his 2011 State of the City address. To learn more about NeighborCare, visit BPHC.org/NeighborCare, or call the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050.