Access HealthColumbus
Assuring access to healthcare for vulnerable people in Franklin County
What is Access HealthColumbus?
Access HealthColumbus (AHC), a non-profit organization, is a public-private partnership. Its mission is to assure timely access to appropriate health care for vulnerable people in Franklin County.
Why was Access HealthColumbus established?
Over 100,000 people in Franklin County are vulnerable* and lack timely access to appropriate health care services. These people usually receive health care too late, if at all and in a very expensive and inefficient manner. Our community is burdened with taxes and increased insurance premiums to pay for these services.
* defined as Franklin County residents who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid enrollees, medically underserved, and those with special needs
What are examples of the Access HealthColumbus’ work in the community?
Incrementally improving access to health care services:
- AHC has coordinated health care services with a voluntary network of over 800 primary/specialty care doctors and 12 hospitals caring for over 4,500 people.
- AHC improved the effectiveness and efficiency of health services by establishing a team of care coordinators to help people navigate the complexities of health care for over 14,000 medical referrals including coordinating doctor’s appointments, diagnostic testing, laboratory services, transportation, and interpretation services.
- AHC increased access to affordable prescription drugs by developing efficient processes that reduce paperwork and other barriers resulting in over 64,000 new prescriptions.
Expanding the capacity of primary health care services:
- AHC has increased primary care services by leveraging public and private investments which resulted in two new primary care practice sites and the expansion of another that increased capacity to serve an additional 17,000 people.
- AHC is researching and testing innovative approaches that provide solutions to meet our local health care needs, such as conducting a feasibility study to determine the cost and value of expanding the capacity of primary care services for an additional 50,000 vulnerable people in our community.
Fundamentally changing the health care system:
- AHC partnered with leaders from government, community, business, health care, advocate and philanthropic organizations to create the Our Optimal Health project. This project hosts conversations around the community exploring: a) what we expect from our health care system; b) how we move from a “sickness” model to a “wellness” model and; c) what it will take to get there. More information is available on the project’s website at www.ouroptimalhealth.net
Our work is focused in the following six areas of activity.
