Despite challenges, Neighborhood Health Center continues growth
NHC Team at our annual Board and Staff Celebration - July 2021
Neighborhood Health Center in Richmond and Liberty continued to expand its patient base and add services in 2021, with even more changes and improvements coming this year.
“Our staff has continued to connect with patients and overcome barriers to bring care to hundreds of additional patients who were not receiving the regular services they needed,” said Carrie Miles, CEO. She said the two locations welcomed over 1,000 new patients between them.
As the patient base has grown, so has the need to increase administrative support, she said. That includes adding a space soon dedicated to a growing human resources department, billing, coding, information technology, quality, accounting, and a classroom training space. We are excited to see our employment grow and improvement in our onboarding and orientation of staff.
The Richmond location celebrated three years in 2021, and the Liberty office celebrated two years of serving patients in the region.
Miles said the 10th Street Clinic in Richmond saw “tremendous growth” in family planning services, along with welcoming 589 new patients and completing 6,112 patient visits. Union County Medical Center provided over 7,130 patient visits for primary and mental health services and welcomed 464 new patients. Additionally, since opening, Union County helped nearly 400 patients obtain insurance coverage.
The center’s governing board will add new members in 2022 after saying goodbye to several founding members – Delia Clark, Margaret Hampton, Dianne Reed, Caleb Smith and Jason Troutwine. “These members are a special group of people who are dedicated to our mission,” Miles said. “Their perspectives have been invaluable. Their voices at our table will be missed.”
Other highlights of the past year included:
Purchasing a van to provide mobile care
Adding staff including a bilingual registered nurse to assist the Latino population
Hosting a Naloxbox to distribute naloxone to the public
Increasing Medicare wellness exams
And opening a clinic at Earlham College to provide family planning services to students and faculty.
“This past year was a busy one for our centers. We expect 2022 to continue at a similar pace,” Miles said. She said the growth and ability to serve more patients came while coping with the COVID pandemic and other challenges affecting healthcare delivery. “This remains a very challenging time in healthcare and the days can be weary. Our teams have continued to show up every day and care for our patients and each other. Our staff has done whatever it takes to ensure our patients are cared for throughout this entire pandemic. They are the true heroes in all this. They are what NHC a special place.” she said. “I am filled with both pride and gratitude for everything our team has accomplished together. We have faithfully provided care to our patients despite the many challenges while encouraging and supporting each other at each step. The dedication of our staff, community partners, providers, and governing board has been inspiring. I do not say lightly what an incredible impact everyone has had toward the positive outcomes we have seen this year, despite the hardships.”
The centers accept all patients, regardless of ability to pay, and offers assistance in finding coverage for patients when possible. A sliding scale for payment allows fees to be based on family size and income.
NHC providers offer extended hours at both clinics. NHC 10th Street offers extended hours on Mondays and Tuesdays until 7 p.m. Union County Medical Center has extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m.