Community Health Center Model

I am frequently asked how I ended up practicing for so many years in a community health center. The answer is simple...It "fits" me well. I was first introduced to the Community Health Center (CHC) model by my mentor when I was a pharmacy student because of my interest in working with underserved populations. That introduction led to a scholarship from the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) which offers scholarships and loan repayment for health care workers in underserved areas (nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov). After residency, I fulfilled my scholarship obligations in a rural CHC. I loved working in a setting where I could practice medicine and help patients without regard to finances. I loved that the administration took care of all billing and collections and could offer a sliding scale for our services. I loved providing care for folks that could not otherwise afford health care. I loved the comprehensive and holistic nature of our practice. My current practice offers medical care, dental care, behavioral care (psychologist), and a patient educator/nutritionist. My office has a "wellness center" multi-purpose room where we have exercise classes, Yoga, Tai Chi, fitness/wellness groups, diabetic and chronic disease classes. I love that I can refer patients just down the hall for all of these services at little or no cost to them!