Anne Boston Parish, MSN, RN, CS; FNP-C
Confronting America's Health Care Crisis is not just a book for those in the health care field. It is a book for investors, politicians, educators, and anyone who has an interest in reforming American's NUMBER ONE concern: ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE!
Did you know there are 47 million medically uninsured American's? What would you do if you lost your health care insurance? What would you do if your child became ill, and you did not have a clinic for his or her care? If you did not have health care insurance; where would you go if you had a cold or chronic illness? What would you do if you had a pre-existing medical conditon and you were denied medical insurance? How could you afford your medication if you did not have health care insurance?
This book provides one solution to America's medical crisis. It gives solid answers for anyone interested in health care reform. This book demonstrates how a clinic was built without the support of local, state, or federal funds. It provides guidance, direciton, an outline, case studies and a business plan to build a clinic. It provides ways to work in the community gathering the needed in-kind donations, and it provides suggetions for overcoming the hurdles so that once the clinic is open and operational, it remains open.
This book is a journey of one Nurse Practitioner and how she saw a need in her community and built a clinic for the medcially uninsured. This book demonstrates one solution for providing health care to those who are medically uninsured.
Health care is not a privilege, no one should be denied adequate health care coverage regardless of his or her ability to pay, or because of a pre-existing health care condtion which precludes him or her from receiving coverage.
Anne Boston Parish is a Family Nurse Practitioner who resides in Alexandria, Virginia. With her own funds, she built a clinic for the medically uninsured. In August of 2001, Anne opened the first family practice clinic that provides health care to those who are medically uninsured. Eight years later, Anne continues to maintain its integrity and its operational status. She also continues to be its sole medical provider. The clinic's mission statement clearly defines her purpose, her devotion and her passion to help those who are medically uninsured.
Anne has been honored with many awards, however she feels her greatest achievement is the gift her patients have given her. They have trusted their health care needs with her medical knowledge and guidance. Many would say without her personal sacrifies, and dedication the clinic would not be open. Others may say, "She is the clinic!"
Anne saw a need in her community and started providing medical care for the medically uninsured. Since the doors opened she has had almost 20,000 patient visits with a patient follow-up rate at 60 percent. What this means is these same patients continue to return for their health care needs. These same patients no longer need to rely on the emergency room for their acute or chronic health care. Anne has a proven model for others to follow!
Anne felt she needed to write a book because she believes others should replicate its medical model. On a daily basis she struggles to educated her community and other communities that the clinic was not funded with local, state or federal funds, but solely remains open due to its accessible hours and the affordable discounted fees.
Anne has developed one successful medical model, and a solution in the delivery of health care for America's 47 million medically uninsured.
Misconceptions About This Type of Clinic: Dispelling the Myth
Health Care Leadership and Misconceptions about Clinics
Health care reform is a topic many want to address. However, few have implemented viable solutions for the growing epidemic of the medically uninsured. Being without health insurance instills fear in many people. It has become a personal assault that an ever-increasing number of Americans face, which forces them to choose between paying for medical care and buying food to feed their families. For many, an acute or chronic medical crisis finds them without a medical home for care. There are many Americans who have experienced the uncertainty of not knowing where to turn if a serious illness occurs, or if routine health care is needed, fear the “what ifs?” If I become ill, where will I receive care? Many of these feelings are experienced on a daily basis as individuals feel the despair of watching a family member or friend have no option but to turn to the hospital emergency room. Too many people, having forfeited nearly everything in the pursuit of health care, have lost all hope of leading normal lives. They are constantly in fear of the bill collector or of having wages garnished.
I am reminded of the inspirational Biblical phrase: “For those who have been given much, much is expected” [Luke 12:48]. When I opened the clinic, I knew the journey would be difficult. I knew there would be challenges; however, I never expected that in such an affluent community, with so many of privilege, there would be so little support for my small part of the solution to the growing problem of those without health care. For many of my patients, the clinic was the beginning of hope and an answer to the exorbitant cost of health care. I knew my cause was larger than myself. I was not willing to ignore what I know is a sensible solution to a growing epidemic — those in my community without health insurance. I just needed a forum to awaken the consciousness of the community.
A few years ago, I wrote an article for a local newspaper in the hopes of stimulating awareness of the growing epidemic of those without health insurance. The purpose of the article was to awaken the spirit of those who have health insurance with the intent that those who have been given much would give to those less fortunate. I was discouraged by the lack of response from readers who had the wherewithal to support the efforts of the clinic. At that time, I had far exceeded my own personal challenge and surprised many in the community as the clinic entered its fourth year of operation. My patient numbers clearly demonstrated a need for the clinic, and the high percentage of patients who considered the clinic their medical home was greater than even I had imagined. I developed one workable solution to our growing epidemic of the medically uninsured. However, it requires more than one article or one person to awaken the altruistic spirit and conscience of the community and to make its residents see what seems so clear to me.
The clinic is a small business and, as such, I am not privileged to receive grant money or city, state, or federal funds. I built the clinic out of my private funds, and I continue to offer health care for the working poor. I am not unique solely because I provide care for those less fortunate. Many medical practitioners do this. I believe I am different because I am a sole provider who chooses not to work with insurance companies as a means to keep the cost of an office visit to a minimum. I have developed partnerships with outside agencies to offer laboratory and imaging at discounted rates. In essence, these discounted prices allow patients to receive ordered laboratory and imaging within their budgets. (See Appendix: Queen Street Clinic Price Menu.)
The clinic also serves as a champion for many patients who might not be able to afford their medications by enrolling them in patient assistance programs with various pharmaceutical companies. I am also very fortunate to develop working relationships with many specialty physicians who support my family practice efforts and to whom I can refer my patients for specialty care. The last piece of the puzzle that makes the whole concept of the clinic’s mission possible is the assistance I receive from local churches, which frequently, on an individual basis, assists patients who need medical care but cannot afford it.
I have learned that the concept of the word “clinic” denotes the idea that it is free. When I think about the clinic, I think of openness, fairness, equitable care, and — of course — medical care at a reasonable cost. The care that is provided is safe, excellent, and prudent in its delivery. Frequently, I have spent much of my day, as well as the clinic staffs’ time, trying to educate my patient population and the community that the concept of “clinic” does not connote it is “free” care. <
