Butler County Community Health Consortium

2 North Main Street, Suite 602
Hamilton, OH 45042
513-892-1888

Project Title
Assuring Pediatric Care for Low Income Families
Grant Description
To develop a plan for increasing access of pediatric services for low-income children and families
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$80,000
Year Awarded
2005
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
Bilingual Staff Recruitment
Grant Description
To provide Spanish language and cultural competency training for clinical staff in Butler county
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$90,700
Year Awarded
2006
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
Enhanced Primary Care Services for Hispanic/Latino Populations
Grant Description
To provide Spanish language and cultural competency training for clinical staff in Butler county
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$4,700
Year Awarded
2002
Grant Duration
6 months

The training schedule was modified from six four-hour sessions to twelve three-hour sessions in order to avoid having to close the Hamilton health center for six consecutive Wednesday afternoons.  It was also determined that the travel time from Middletown to Hamilton would preclude the participation of the Middletown Health Center staff from participating.  Instead, staffs from the Hamilton Health Department and Butler County Head Start program were invited to participate.  This collaboration greatly improved more safety net providers’ ability to communicate with their clients.

Classes were conducted from September 25 – December 18, 2002. All participants received satisfactory grades and certificates of completion. Eight of the 13 participants completed an evaluation form.  The course was rated as excellent or above average. The staff coordinator’s feedback indicates that the response from Hispanic/Latino patients has been very receptive to the improved staff skills.  Employees are now more comfortable in their interactions, which has increased the patients’ level of comfort.  Patients are more receptive to the teaching regarding disease processes, treatments and understanding the proper use of medications.  This has increased compliance and overall improvement in care.

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Project Title
Implementing Primary Care Services for the Medically Underserved
Grant Description
To establish a primary care health center for low-income and uninsured residents of Butler County
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$150,000
Year Awarded
2001
Grant Duration
36 months
Results
After more than two years of planning and fundraising, the Hamilton Health Center opened in February 2002. The center offers primary medical services including checkups, physicals, immunizations, care for illness and injuries, minor procedures, lab services, and pharmacy services through MedShare. The facility has four exam rooms, including one that doubles as a procedure room. Two part-time family practice physicians staff the center.

The health center accepts insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid and accommodates patients with discounts based on the ability to pay. The center also accommodates Spanish-speaking patients, who are nearly 30% of the patient population. Several staff members speak Spanish or are trained in basic medical Spanish, and patient education materials are printed in Spanish. Staff have provided over 6,600 patient visits.

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Project Title
Increasing Access to Primary Care for Immigrant Populations
Grant Description
To increase access to primary care for immigrant populations
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$30,000
Year Awarded
2005
Grant Duration
12 months
Results
 A translator was recruited and hired at the Hamilton Health Center and has been sustained through a grant from the Butler County Department of Jobs and Family Services.  A similar position was added to the Middletown Health Center.  Staff were trained in medical terminology and medical interpretation, with favorable evaluations of the training.

Staff received cultural competency and Spanish language education.  All buildings have key information in Spanish on interior and exterior displays.  All critical patient forms are available in Spanish.

The most significant impact of this program is that the number of Hispanic persons served by the grantee increased from 519 in 2004 to 834 in 2006.

At the end of the grant period:

  • 30% of the Middletown staff is now fluent in Spanish, and an additional 20% have Spanish language communication skills.
  • 10% of Middletown patients were Spanish speaking.
  • All critical forms were translated or made available in Spanish.
  • All buildings display all key information in Spanish on interior and exterior.
  • Staff turnover was a challenge.  All but one of the staff who were originally trained have left the organization, but efforts to recruit more bilingual staff have been successful.

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Project Title
Linking Butler County Community Health Centers to the Ohio Shared Information System
Grant Description
To add Butler County health centers to the Ohio Shared Information Services Network
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$111,015
Year Awarded
2003
Grant Duration
12 months
Results
The Butler County Community Health Consortium (BCCHC) has completed the planning phase of its project to link the Hamilton, Middletown, and New Miami Health Centers to each other and to the Ohio Shared Information Services (OSIS) Network.

Principle outcomes include:

  • BCCHC signed a contract with OSIS in March, 2005.  OSIS assumed all billing operations in June, 2005. Staff have been trained in OSIS. BCCHC is working on reducing the accounts receivable time.  The amount of monthly billing is gradually increasing through improved billing procedures and increased productivity.  Although the new billing system has been operational only 60 days, it appears that there is an increase in amounts billed and collected.
  • The two health center sites have merged and are a “stand alone” operation.  100% of the information system’s infrastructure has been developed and controlled by BCCHC.  Fiscal policies which comply with FQHC guidelines have been completed and approved by the Board.
  • Billing has been centralized through OSIS.  All providers at all sites have been credentialed.  All staff have been trained and cross trained on scheduling and billing.
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Project Title
Moving Forward in Butler County
Grant Description
To strengthen board and staff capacity of two Butler County health centers
Focus Area
Community Primary Care
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$$39,250
Year Awarded
2004
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
New Miami School-Linked Health Center
Grant Description
To start a school-linked health center in the New Miami School District
Focus Area
School-Based Child Health Interventions
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$347,963.50
Year Awarded
2000
Grant Duration
36 months

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