As immigration enforcement rises in many communities, FQHCs are facing new challenges at the intersection of safety, access, and mission. In this powerful conversation, Steve Weinman—Principal at FQHC Associates, Founder of FQHC Connect, Co-Founder of the FQHC CEO Connect Bootcamp, and former CEO of an FQHC serving a large migrant population—breaks down what health centers need to know about ICE activity and how to protect patients and staff.
As immigration enforcement rises in many communities, FQHCs are facing new challenges at the intersection of safety, access, and mission. In this powerful conversation, Steve Weinman—Principal at FQHC Associates, Founder of FQHC Connect, Co-Founder of the FQHC CEO Connect Bootcamp, and former CEO of an FQHC serving a large migrant population—breaks down what health centers need to know about ICE activity and how to protect patients and staff.
Recently, our Principal at FQHC Associates, Steve Weinman, was featured in a national article highlighting the urgent need for collaboration between hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). With decades of experience leading and advising health centers, Steve shared why these partnerships are vital as health centers face shrinking margins and increased demand.
But partnerships alone aren’t enough. As the landscape shifts, FQHCs must also rethink how they market themselves to attract a broader patient base, including Medicare and privately insured patients. Without the right marketing strategy, many health centers risk losing ground financially — and ultimately limiting their impact on the communities they serve.
Becoming an FQHC Look-Alike can bring major benefits—but skipping a feasibility study can lead to wasted time, money, and effort. This post breaks down why a proper assessment is essential, what it should include, and how expert guidance can improve your chances of success.
FQHC marketing doesn’t have to be complicated—or expensive. In this post, I share five proven FQHC marketing strategies to help health centers get seen, build trust, and attract more insured patients. Whether you’re running an FQHC or working toward designation, these tips can make a real difference.
Covered entities participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program must ensure program integrity and maintain accurate records documenting compliance with all program requirements. They are subject to audit by the manufacturer or the federal government. Failure to comply may make the 340B covered entity liable to manufacturers for refunds of discounts or cause the covered entity to be removed from the 340B program.
Organization leaders and Human Resources professionals are often challenged by walking the tightrope of when to share information about former employees and when to stick to facts providing only dates of employment, title, and wage. As a result many organizations have policies that closely define those who are approved to release employment information and what information they are allowed to release regarding a former employee.
Performance appraisal may well be the most despised management process around, and often for very good reasons. Most performance appraisal forms are only marginally relevant to an employee’s job, and the results of the process itself yield very little – perhaps a token difference in a raise for a “higher performer” over a “lower performer;” but even these distinctions are often criticized by employees because of assumptions concerning how “tough” one supervisor is over another. Simply put, the link between actual performance and actual executive or employee compensation is frequently tenuous at best.
Many health centers are now incorporating mobile clinics as a key strategy for improving access to health care, especially in rural areas, farmworker communities, housing projects and homeless populations. Mobile clinics help overcome barriers, such as transportation, that prevent people from accessing health care. A mobile unit can also be more flexible so care can be provided during non-traditional hours such as evening and weekends.
Breaking NPR news, "With Medical Debt Rising, Some Doctors Push For Payment Upfront." Medical practices are feeling the crunch, so they are making patients pay their copays before they are seen. Welcome to our world.
Congress created the 340B program in 1992 to help uninsured indigent patients gain better access to prescription medications and to allow health centers stretch scarce federal resources. The 340B program is vitally important for safety net providers and their most vulnerable patients. It lowers drug costs for providers, allowing them to pass along these savings to their patients and maintain and expand other health care services. Congress intended for covered entities to use the benefit of the discount to reach more eligible patients and provide more comprehensive services, and the 340B program has met these essential goals.
Do your policies and/or employee handbook forbid your employees from sharing information about their own wage and benefit packages with other employees? If so, it’s important to note that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) has a different opinion and your health care facility might be found in violation by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). As a consultant providing services to health care organizations on matters of human resources and health care compliance, I often find employers with policies that put them at risk.
As every one of my clients has heard at one time or another, I plan on writing a book some day, and it’s going to have a chapter entitled “management spends 95% of its time on the 5% of its employees that provide the least value.” I will certainly need a more pithy chapter title at some point, but be patient with me for now. Some time into our discussions, people eventually nod their heads and say “yes, that’s true,” and then often launch into a conversation about the number of times that has happened to them. Unbeknownst to them (but beknownst to us!) we are now adding on to the time we’ve wasted on those same people, well after they are gone. The corollary to the chapter title is an exercise in simple math, which breaks down to: “we spend almost no time on our best people.”
I could just stop there.
But I won’t.
More Than 7 Million Sign Up for Health Coverage, the headlines boast.
However, just as millions of Americans are obtaining insurance coverage through the federal health law, many primary care doctors are retiring early, converting their practices to concierge or joining large healthcare and hospital groups. The primary care physician, also known as a “provider,” may be headed toward extinction.
FQHC Connect is a Free, Private Online Community for FQHC Professionals. Join the conversation, share resources and insights with your peers and access exclusive educational content to ensure your health center can thrive. You can request to join at www.FQHCConnect.com.
