Mtn Lakes Access Health celebrates Two Years

A milestone is being celebrated by an Upstate organization helping those without health insurance improve their health and lives.  This month marks the second anniversary of the case management program focused on care coordination and navigation for low-income, uninsured adults in Oconee County, Clemson, Central and Six Mile, explains Mountain Lakes Access Health executive director Heather Goss. “For two years, we have been serving low-income, uninsured adults in the Mountain Lakes community and we are really focusing, not only on connecting them with healthcare services that they need but also other services, community resources and things that help them address other needs as well.  Psychosocial needs; things such as housing, transportation, food, support systems, jobs, and education, things such as that.” Since opening the doors two years ago, Mountain Lakes Access Health has helped over 325 adults in our community gain access to important services they need to be healthy. “Through our network partners including primary care physicians, specialists, and social service agencies, our clients are linked to the services they need not only to help them feel better physically, but also to improve their overall well-being.” The staff of Mountain Lakes Access Health consists of two social services coordinators and a nurse case manager who work intensively with clients to address both their health and social needs.  “The beauty of this program is we operate on the premise that to truly address someone’s health we must look at all of the factors that impact their ability to be healthy, not just whether or not they have access to a doctor,” Goss continued. This includes many things such as housing, transportation, food, family and social support systems, jobs, and education. Beyond connecting them with a physician and community resources to meet their needs, the staff help clients better understand their health conditions, empower them to become smarter healthcare consumers, and encourage them to become more active and engaged citizens.  “The case management model is successful because relationship building, community partnerships, and communication are instrumental in breaking down barriers to good health and equipping clients with information and tools they can use to help themselves,” said Goss. The numbers support this claim. Oconee Medical Center reports a dramatic decline in emergency room utilization by Mountain Lakes Access Health clients for non-emergent needs, and inpatient admissions have also decreased (most recently 71.74% and 73.81% respectively from pre and post-enrollment data). This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoided costs for the hospital, but has also yielded a healthier, more well connected patient population, and helped shoulder the burden felt by healthcare providers. Patients with diabetes are learning how to manage their conditions and improving the health of their entire families. Patients with limited access to care are finally receiving diagnoses for their problems and getting the help they need to feel better. Patients find it easier to follow their care plans because they can get their medications for free or at greatly reduced prices through discount and prescription assistance programs. Patients avoid expensive emergency room visits and hospital stays because their conditions are being addressed proactively in their assigned medical homes. Doctors find patient visits are more productive and efficient as physicians are able to focus on medical needs because they know Mountain Lakes Access Health staff is helping with social needs. Doctors’ office staff enjoys the support they receive from Mountain Lakes Access Health staff for referrals and care coordination. With 180 individuals currently enrolled in the Mountain Lakes Access Health program, enrolling new clients can be challenging. While most of the primary care physicians in this community are participating providers, there is still a need for more. “We can only enroll as many clients as we have vacancies within physician practices to place them,” added Goss. “The providers in our network volunteer their time to care for Mountain Lakes Access Health clients. We acknowledge their role in this program is invaluable and want to recognize them for their commitment to our clients.” In 2013 alone, Mountain Lakes Access Health clients had over 1100 appointments with physicians, dentists, staff and other resources; and staff made 422 referrals to specialists and other programs. Clients received more than $131,000 in services from providers, a conservative estimate as not all provider charges are reported for capture. Mountain Lakes Access Health is funded through a grant from The Duke Endowment and private donations. The program recently received a grant from The BlueCross/BlueShield Foundation of SC to open a dental clinic. Final preparations are being made and Goss reports they hope to have the clinic open by the end of April. Anyone interested in learning more about Mountain Lakes Access Health and its services is encouraged to call 864-885-7341.