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FAQs
What is a Community Health Center (CHC)?
Community Health Centers are community owned and
operated not-for-profit health care practices that
provide access to quality, cost-effective primary and
preventive health care that is affordable to all
families. They provide comprehensive primary health care
services to all people regardless of the patient's
ability to pay for those services.
CHCs use physicians and mid-level practitioners to
provide a variety of services including diagnosis and
treatment, laboratory, radiology, preventive health
services and health education, perinatal and well-child
checkups, family planning, emergency treatment, and care
for acute and chronic conditions. Many CHCs also provide
preventive dentistry, mental health and substance abuse
treatment and pharmaceuticals. Services vary from center
to center depending upon community needs and resources.
CHCs have more than 40 years of experience in improving
and assuring access to primary health care and
prevention services in underserved areas and populations
in need.
CHCs represent interdisciplinary and collaborative
practice models, utilizing primary care physicians,
non-physician providers (nurse practitioners and
physician assistants), health educators, social workers,
outreach and care coordinators, counselors,
nutritionists and many other specialists.
CHCs are not-for-profit community sponsored and governed
primary care practices located in federally designated
medically underserved areas. At least 51% of each
volunteer board of directors must be users of the center
to assure community and consumer control of decisions on
regarding health care services provided at each Health
Center.
Services and programs are provided to all persons
seeking care regardless of their ability to pay. This is
achieved through a sliding fee discount that is based
upon household income.
CHCs emphasize both treatment and health promotion,
focusing on individual patients, but with the vision of
improving the health status of entire communities. These
services go beyond the office setting, reaching the
community through health fairs, home based outreach
programs, patient education projects, and similar
activities.
Who owns the
health center?
East Georgia
Healthcare Center is an independent facility managed by
a community Board of Directors. This independence means
that our community—not a corporate institution—makes the
decisions regarding the services we offer.
What are your policies regarding
patient confidentiality?
We are committed to protecting your privacy and have
strict policies to ensure patient confidentiality.
These policies meet all federal and state health
requirements.
What kind of
patients come to EGHC?
EGHC has some patients who are fully covered by private
health insurance, Medicaid and/or Medicare. A large
share of our patients are self-paying, uninsured
patients. Patients who have insurance are requested to
use their medical insurance cards. They will then pay
either the insurance co-payment or our sliding fee,
whichever is less.
How can I qualify for reduced
fees?
In order to make health care affordable to people at
lower income levels, we have instituted a sliding fee
schedule based on your income level and the size of your
family. To become eligible for this reduced fee
schedule, you need to talk with our staff and provide
documentation concerning your income. The interview
process does not take very long and is confidential. No
one is denied service due to an inability to pay. If you
have difficulty making your co-payment, ask to see one
of our billing clerks.
What
should I do in case of an emergency?
In the event of a severe situation, life threatening
problem, or one in which you are in doubt, call
911 or go
immediately to the Emergency Room of the nearest
hospital. Once there, ask someone at the Emergency Room
to contact your doctor. If the situation is not
extremely severe, but one where you wish contact with
your doctor, telephone us or come to the office to speak
to the Triage Nurse.
How
should I handle prescription refills?
All prescription refills should be requested during
normal office hours and at least two days before your
prescription runs out. Medications which are considered
controlled must be written by provider and given to
patient. These cannot be called into any pharmacy.
For more information
contact us at
eghc@eghc.org or 478-237-2638. |
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