Neighborhood Health Center
What is a neighborhood health center?
A neighborhood health center is a medical facility that receives funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, allowing it to offer same-day primary care services to people who are insured, uninsured, or underinsured for a minimal cost.
These centers are usually located in neighborhoods with high healthcare needs, with residents who are uninsured and have barriers to seeking preventive primary care such as poverty, transportation, and language.
Neighborhood health centers typically care for populations with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases and help manage their conditions and risks. They also serve as a medical home for women to receive their annual well-woman exams.
Why is a neighborhood health center important to healthcare?
Neighborhood healthcare centers are important to healthcare because they allow people to receive comprehensive primary healthcare regardless of their insurance or financial status.
Neighborhood Health Centers improve access to care for patient populations with high rates of under-insurance or uninsurance. These communities tend to have disparities in their health outcomes, with conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases being particularly high. By bringing care closer to people’s work and home locations and making the costs free or minimal, they also tackle barriers such communities face in accessing care.