The Rock River Community Clinic has announced that it has been recommended for designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHC-LAL) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We are proud and honored to reach this crucial step in our process of becoming federally qualified. This designation will change access to healthcare in our region and expand the services we are able to provide for families in need,” CEO/Executive Director of Rock River Community Clinic Olivia Nichols, was quoted as saying in a recent news released supplied by the organization.
According to the release, to be eligible for FQHC-LAL designation, RRCC was required to meet 19 core program standards, as well as 98 operational site visit elements. Among requirements were: offering services to all persons regardless of ability to pay; establishing a sliding fee discount program; establishing a community-based governing board of directors including patient board members; serving in a medically underserved area; providing quality comprehensive primary care services for patients of all age groups, including medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services; providing enabling or supportive services that support access to healthcare including patient and community health education, transportation, and translation, and having an ongoing quality assurance program.
Becoming a FQHC will allow RRCC to ensure long-term sustainability of its services and provide more affordable care options for families throughout the region, the release continued.
Included among benefits of the status are sustainable reimbursement for services for Medicare and Medicaid recipients, access to a federal 340B Drug Discount Program, and access to tuition reimbursement through National Healthcare Service Corps programs to recruit and retain providers.
“The benefits to our communities with RRCC becoming federally qualified cannot be overstated. The FQHC status will equip our staff with the increased tools and resources to help care for our patients and help eliminate barriers that prevent too many community members from accessing needed medical and dental care,” Dr. Donald Williams, medical director of Rock River Community Clinic noted in the release.
Rock River Community Clinic was formed through the merging in 2019 of the Community Dental Clinic, Fort Atkinson and the Watertown Area Cares Clinic and Rock River Free Clinic, Jefferson. With support from the Rock River Health Care Network — HealthWorks— RRCC began the process to become a FQHC-LAL in January of 2020.
HealthWorks is a coalition of local healthcare organizations working collectively to increase health equity in Jefferson and Dodge counties by specifically focusing on low-income individuals’ access to primary care. HealthWorks partners include Fort Healthcare, Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, Watertown Regional Medical Center, Rainbow Hospice Care, Jefferson County Health Department, Jefferson County Human Services, Rock River Community Clinic and the City of Watertown Health Department.
“The first area of focus for HealthWorks has been aimed at supporting patient care at the Rock River Community Clinic and providing needed resources and support towards their effort of attaining FQHC-LAL status. We look forward to continuing to support these tremendous efforts towards achieving health equity in our communities,” Kristin Wallace, HealthWorks Network director stated in the release.
The Rock River Community Clinic has locations in Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Watertown and Whitewater.
For more information about Rock River Community Clinic, call 262-472-6839.
File photo courtesy of Unsplash.com/Kristine Wook.
Rock River Community Clinic, Whitewater, is one of four locations where patients can receive care. The clinic has recently been designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHC-LAL) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contributed photo.
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