Besides the danger of contracting COVID-19 itself, the pandemic is revealing other ways health is being negatively affected in Southeast Kansas.
Social isolation, the lack of transportation, housing and access to food make it difficult for our most vulnerable to seek proper healthcare.
To address these challenges, the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas plans to implement a tried-and true formula — house calls — as well as other programs targeted at social issues.
To that effort, the Pittsburg-based health system expects to use some of its upcoming $11 million in federal relief.
Already, new programs are underway at the Iola clinic. The system also is expanding services in Chanute and preparing for a new facility in Fort Scott.
CHC/SEK is increasing outreach programs and home visits to people who have issues with transportation or are homebound. The Iola location began offering a walk-in clinic around the same time as the pandemic began, and expanded hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to better suit patients who work. Staff also have been administering vaccines at homes and businesses.
“We’ve always been very focused on outreach, such as staying connected to the schools,” Jason Wesco, executive vice president, said. “We are learning now to connect to people even more personally, through their homes. Social isolation has health implications much like chronic disease, and if we think about it like any other disease, we have to think about a very specific way to treat it.”
That could include such things as electronic visits and telemedicine, or even just phone calls.
“We were headed in that direction before the pandemic, but it’s really become clear to us in the last year that if we want to connect with people, we can’t always expect them to come to us.”
CHC/SEK will receive about $11 million from the American Rescue Plan. The funds are intended to help health centers nationwide as they vaccinate and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHC/SEK will form a committee to examine the best way to spend the money.
Some health centers were forced to close or scale back services during the pandemic. CHC/SEK did not grow as much as projected before the pandemic, but did in fact see an increase in those seeking services.
Since vaccinations began, the health system has delivered more than 32,000 shots.
“Our staff have done an awful lot in the past year to help people feel safe and stay connected,” Wesco said.
Still, many patients have delayed routine medical care because of the pandemic. Now that vaccinations are available and restrictions are starting to ease, health clinics are seeing those patients return.
The pandemic also highlighted the need for more diagnostic imaging equipment such as for mammography or other services, Robert Poole, communications and marketing director, said. Using the federal funding to purchase the expensive equipment and technology can allow the clinics to offer services that patients might not otherwise be able to afford.
