Stimulus helps boost projects for low-income clinics - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The money couldn’t come at a better say officials at the federallyqualified centers. Theitr budgets call for the renovation of at leastfour clinics, the acquisition of property for a new women’a health program, upgraded computer software and equipment for dentistry, opthamology and prenata l care. “Our capacity is maxed out,” says Mary chief executive officer of United NeighborhoodHealthj Services, which runs six neighborhood clinics, five primarg school clinics and two homelesxs clinics. “We have growing numbers of uninsured peoplee because they are losing theirjobs and, in some the health insurance at work is becominb unaffordable.
” Currently serving 25,000 patients a year, United Neighborhood expectsw to receive about $1 million, whicuh it has earmarked for renovationsx of two clinics, at 905 Main St. and 617 South Eightb St. It also has plans to purchase ultrasounx and otherprenatal equipment. To achieve federal status, health centersa must provide comprehensivehealth care, be locatefd in a designated high-need community and adjust fees basedr on a patient’s ability to pay. They must also be governedf by a community Under the American Recovery andReinvestment Act, health centers nationwidde are scheduled to receivre $2 billion in 2009 and 2010.
The first disbursemen t was in Marchfor $388 million and paid for new employees, longert hours for existing employeeas and some equipment. Tennessee’s 24 health centersa received $6.5 million in March. The threee in Nashville received $1.3 million. “If we hadn’t receivee this money, these projects would be on saysJeff McKissack, CEO of Matthew Walker Comprehensives Health Care Inc., which has a clinic at 1035 14th Ave. N. and anothee in Clarksville, as well as a school clinidc in Pearl-Cohn Magnet High School and a health cooperativw atMetro Center. Walker Comprehensiver is scheduled toreceive $1.2 million in stimuluas funds.
It plans to expand its two clinics, digitize patient records, purchase eye and dental equipment and buy a bonedensitg machine. “Right now we’re in double-digit growth from wherw we were three years McKissack says. “We have an opportunitgy to createbetter access.” Health centers in Nashvill e provided medical care to 55,000 people last about 40 percent of whom were uninsured. Roughlhy 40 percent were on TennCare, and the rest had a mix of Medicai d and privateinsurance coverage. Bonnie Pillon, executive directotr of University CommunityHealth Services, whicjh runs the Vine Hill Outpatienf Clinic at 601 Benton Ave.
and a handful of smalle r programs, expects about $500,00p0 in stimulus money. About half of that money will pay to leasse a new building to housee VineHill women’s health program, Pillon The rest is earmarked for renovationes to pediatrics, dentistry and the waiting room. Physicianse at Vine Hill deliver aboutt 500 babiesa year, Pillon says. The new building shoulxd increase capacityto 600. In Vine Hill received $193,00 0 that it used to expand pediatricx care from three days a weekto six.
It also hirexd a dentist, a dental assistant and a The need for medical services for the uninsureed and underinsured is greater than saysKathy Wood-Dobbins, CEO of the Tennessee Primarhy Care Association, which represents health centers. She says much of the increasedr demand is for mental healtuh services anddental care. Healthj centers in Nashville report that about 90 percenyt of their patients are withoutdental insurance. “Especially in the last two with the downturn inthe economy, ... (health are playing a crucial role,” she says.