A Challenging Opportunity!

The Health Center has received a grant of $125,000 from the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation for implementation of our updated health information technology (HIT) plan. We are honored to be recognized by this prestigious foundation, but it comes with one condition: we must raise the same amount in matching funds from other sources in the community.

Please take a few minutes to read why this project is so important to CHC and our patients.

The objectives of the HIT plan are to (1) ensure the privacy and security of patient information, (2) improve operational efficiencies across all four sites, (3) improve communication with patients and educate them to navigate the health care system, and (4) prepare us for health reform at the state and federal levels.

While the project will bring about many improvements, we are especially excited about the enhancements that will enable patients to take an active role in their own care. For example, the CHC website will be modified to include a patient portal that will enable patients to access their medical record, schedule appointments, view test results, and communicate directly with their health care team, including their provider. This access will be available from patients’ home computers or from computer stations at CHC in Mashpee.

Other highlights of the project include:
· Improved network capacity, speed, security, and virus protection
· Consistent access to the electronic medical record at all sites
· Interface with Cape Cod Healthcare for lab test ordering and results reporting
· Phone system upgrade
· Compliance with new billing procedures and other health reform measures

Although the current network is stable and unplanned outages are rare, the hardware, operating systems, and virus protection software has not been updated in 3 ½ years. The updated HIT plan pertains to all four of our locations and the timing is particularly important as we organize our services in conjunction with the Mashpee expansion project. Total costs of the project are approximately $435,000.

You can help CHC take full advantage of the Tower Foundation challenge by designating a gift to the Building for the Future campaign for information technology. As always, if you have questions about this or any other aspect of the campaign, please call the Development office at 508-477-5990.

The Tower Foundation supports initiatives aimed at children’s, adolescents’, and young adults’ mental well-being as well as organizations’ capacity to respond to such needs in the community. It has assets of $72 million and distributes over $2.5 million in grants every year. Its geographic funding areas are Erie and Niagara Counties in New York State and Barnstable, Dukes, Essex and Nantucket Counties in Massachusetts.

Happy Holidays: A Reflection on 2011

The holidays are always a time for reflection. We think about our dearest family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We consider all that we and our loved ones accomplished in the past year. And we generally find ourselves feeling truly grateful for all the above.

Not everyone in our community has been so fortunate that they can reflect positively on 2011. We all know that this year has not been kind to everyone and has provided many with new struggles and challenges due to the economy and unemployment. However, there is a lot to be thankful for too in terms of the resources and services available to those in need.

Here are just a few reasons the Health Center is celebrating 2011:

· 13,000 patients now call Community Health Center of Cape Cod their medical home and 55,000 total patient visits were provided, from physical exams to teeth cleanings to counseling sessions. This was a record high! Most of these patients turned to the Health Center because they were unable to access this high-quality, affordable care elsewhere due to financial, cultural, and other barriers.
· Each month 200 to 300 new patients are registered. To better meet their needs, a New Patient Access Team was created to enroll, educate and connect our patients to care much quicker than before. The Team also helps patients understand, plan and advocate for their health and well being.
· 50 more dental patients are served each week since our Dental Clinic expanded its operating hours to include additional evenings and Saturdays. There are now a total of 5,100 active dental patients.
· 1,100 people in schools, youth organizations, law enforcement as well as emergency responders, clergy, and clinicians have gone through life-saving suicide prevention training by the Youth Suicide Prevention Project, a program of the Health Center.
· Women’s Health visits are up 30%, meaning an increased number of cervical cancer screenings.
· 788 students are enrolled at the School Based Health Center at Barnstable High School. An amazing 90% of the students cared for at the SBHC actually returned to class—instead of going home sick and missing school days. On average 30 mental health visits are provided there each week, which shows the great need for these services among our adolescent population.
· The year-long planning and start of construction on our 22,000 sq/ft addition in Mashpee has created much excitement and anticipation. Upon completion, 5,000 additional patients will have access to expanded programs and new services including imaging, optometry, a low-cost pharmacy, and a much larger dental clinic.

Support for our capital campaign is essential in completing this addition, but as we build it please remember it is critical that we also sustain our operating budget, which funds all of our programs and services. To make a gift to the Annual Fund to help with day-to-day operations that allow us to care for the neediest children, adults, and families, please call 508-477-5990 or visit http://www.chcofcapecod.org/.

Looking Forward to a New Women's Health Suite

While primary care, mental health, and dental care are well known tenants of Community Health Center of Cape Cod’s continuum of care; Women’s Health Services is another hugely important and growing program. In fact this year Women’s Health patient visits were up 30% according to Program Director Megan Luizzi. We also exceeded enrollment capacity in CHC’s Care Coordination Program, which provides prevention, early detection, screening, and case management services for eligible patients at risk for breast cancer, cervical cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The disproportionately high rates of breast cancer on Cape Cod make early detection an essential part of our program.

Our Women’s Health Services will soon be expanding further to its own new suite in our Building for the Future. On the main floor of the new addition will be women’s health, expanded primary care, with additional room for future services including medical imaging. This new wing will be connected to the existing building by an enclosed walkway. We look forward to the ability to care for a greater number of patients while keeping an emphasis on the neediest populations.

Currently the Women’s Health staff work out of the Falmouth office, including Dr. Dale Weldon, OB/GYN and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Beth Homand. Here, women are cared for at every stage of their lives; from the teenage to child-bearing and into the senior years. We offer a team-based approach to help women achieve and maintain good health which includes a program of education, screening, prevention, and ongoing gynecological care - regardless of age, income, or insurance status.

These services can be integrated with other Health Center services, but please note that people are not required to be CHC patients to enroll as a patient in Women’s Health, which is currently accepting new patients with public or private insurance. Patients who are uninsured may seek assistance in attaining appropriate and affordable coverage through our insurance specialist, Joan Dowd (508-7090 ext. 155). Please call 508-540-2949 for more information about Women’s Health Services or to register as new patient.

Naming Opportunities Announced for the New Addition

Thank you to everyone that has already made a gift in response to our Annual Holiday Appeal. A yearly gift funds specific programs, helps us purchase equipment, and supports daily operating expenses. We know there are many worthy charities all making asks this time of year. Please know how appreciative we are that you have chosen Community Health Center of Cape Cod as a local cause that you feel good about supporting this year. With 1 in 6 Falmouth and Mashpee residents being patients—along with many others from surrounding towns—the positive impact of your generosity can be seen throughout this community.

While the holiday appeal helps fund day-to-day operational needs of the Health Center, the Building for the Future Expansion Campaign is underway to raise $3.25 million to complete our new 22,000 sq/ft addition which is now well underway!

This weekend we will begin the “shoring” process which involves installing forms and other materials into the embankment to hold the land (and our existing building) in place during site preparation and construction, explains CEO Karen Gardner. We are accomplishing the shoring over the weekend to avoid the most significant vibrations during patient care hours. However, the process may go in to Monday morning. After this shoring process, we can anticipate the same level of current minor vibration during the next two months. At that point, the foundation will be poured and steel framing will start going up for the new space!

There are plenty of naming opportunities for the new addition available for those who make gifts of $5,000 or more. What better Christmas gift—and family legacy—than making affordable, comprehensive healthcare accessible to all by naming a room or department after a loved one or even your entire family! Take a look at the Capital Campaign Naming Opportunities list for all the options. If you are interested in making a gift of any size to the Building for the Future Expansion Campaign please contact the Development Office at 508-477-5990. We can’t thank you enough for your help!

Hope for Those Needing Dental Care

Conventional wisdom has it that no one really wants to go to the dentist. Not so for many people in our region who are in urgent need of quality, affordable oral health services. People in need of dental care will benefit greatly when the Mashpee addition is completed.

Despite opening earlier and closing later during weekdays, adding Saturday hours, and the outstanding work of our dental staff and providers, the wait times for appointments for both new and established patients at our Marion Jordan Center for Dental Health are longer than we would like them to be.

A significant portion of the 22,000 square-foot project will be devoted to the expansion of the dental clinic, which will go from three dental chairs to ten! We are confident that when the expanded dental clinic is fully operational, wait times will decrease.

In addition to enabling us to see more patients more quickly, one of the new chairs will be specifically designed for disabled patients. Currently, there are no handicapped-specific dental operatories in our region and we look forward to providing this specialized service.

Another highlight of the increased space is that it will enable us to partner with educational institutions to serve as a training site for prospective dentists and dental hygienists. Cape Cod is designated by the federal government as a dental Health Professional Shortage Area and this lack of providers is a significant barrier to people receiving care in a timely fashion. We are currently in discussions with Boston University School of Dental Medicine and Cape Cod Community College to create externships to expose students to the rewards and challenges of dental care in the community health center setting.

The dental clinic will encompass approximatley half of the ground floor of the addition, as you can see on the left side of the drawing. The pharmacy, vision services, and patient financial services will also be located on the ground floor.