Furnishings and equipment were purchased for four dental operatories for the Bellevue Health Center.  Staff were hired, including a full time dentist, a dental hygienist and support staff.  The dental clinic opened on December 15, 2005. Marketing efforts were very successful and patients were recruited from HealthPoint’s medical practice, with an emphasis on children, diabetic and OB patients. With the Clinic achieving double the projected patient load the first year of operation, it now employs an additional full time dentist.

From January 1 through December 31, 2006 2,957 patients were seen, comprising 7,598 visits.  A total of $910,000 in patient revenue was generated.  Of the 2,957 patients, 798 were uninsured, and 1,685 had Medicaid, representing 84% of the patient population.

Outcomes:

• A total of 1,650 children received dental exams in 2006.
• OB patients are referred for an oral exam in the first trimester.  Diabetics are referred for an oral exam.  An oral cavity exam is part of well-child visits.
• Due to the success of the Bellevue clinic, the HealthPoint Board of Directors approved the purchase of dental and computer equipment for three more operatories for the Bellevue clinic.  The new operatories became available in July, 2006.

A bilingual health educator was hired on March 2, 2003. She was educated as a physician in Argentina and has lived in the United States since 1986. The Health Educator has two primary responsibilities: 1) provision of patient education and health counseling services for dental and obstetrical patients and 2) coordination and instruction for the Promotores program.

During the grant, the health educator helped more than 400 patients with diabetes management, interpreter assistance, and dental and obstetrical care. The health educator translated into Spanish medical forms and patient information documents, such as HIPAA forms. She developed a library collection of health education materials and children’s books in Spanish.

The first Promotores class was completed on August 9, 2003, graduating 13 Hispanic/Latino immigrants from the program. At that time, each participant received a first aid kit, stethoscope, thermometer, and blood pressure cuff. A second class began on August 28, 2003, in Grant County, Kentucky.

HealthPoint is developing plans for permanent funding. There is no third-party reimbursement for health education services. Only 13% of the Hispanic patients have Medicaid coverage. However, the number of patients continues to increase. A financial analysis is being completed for presentation to the agency’s board for justification of continued funding.

Learnings:

• Additional time for recruitment of trained bilingual health professionals needs to be considered when developing programs.
• It is important that the organizational culture is receptive to the inclusion of bilingual personnel and serving Hispanic/Latino patients. Health Point has actively incorporated the inclusion of other bilingual personnel in all of the clinical service areas.
• As a result of the patient interaction, staff has learned about Hispanic patients’ practices in accessing medical care. This has helped staff to appropriately intervene, educate, and redirect family members so that they can establish a primary care medical home.

Centro de Amistad provided a $5,000 grant to support dental care for children whose families are low-income and uninsured.

Northern Kentucky Family Health (NKFH) retained a consultant to develop a strategic plan in the spring of 2001. The planning process began with a market overview and environmental assessment. During this phase, the consultant interviewed various members of our community to identify needs, opportunities, and issues that may impact our organization’s future.

This analytical phase was followed by a sequence of facilitated planning sessions, which enabled NKFH staff and board members to evaluate the results of the market study, assess priorities, and develop goals and strategies. The formal sessions led to weeks of internal follow-up, resulting in the creation and subsequent board approval of a detailed, working plan for NKFH’s future.

The strategic planning process was of critical importance to NKFH. Following a leadership transition and facing a variety of external opportunities, the organization benefited greatly from the formal process of assessing long-term goals, then developing short-term strategies for achieving the goals. During the process, management staff and trustees developed not only a greater knowledge of the organization, but also decision-making skills and techniques for evaluating new opportunities. As an indirect result of the strategic planning process, NKFH developed a new mission, a new name, and a new logo during the last few months of 2001. As of May 2002, Northern Kentucky Family Health became HealthPoint Family Care.