Every day, health center employees are making difficult choices in the face of staffing and equipment shortages, knowing that they’re not only risking their own health but also the health of their families. But providing the best-possible care to the communities they serve isn’t just their job — it’s their mission.
Responding to the Call for Care
Health centers are adapting their care models and implementing new protocols to respond to this emergency:
• All health centers are supporting the work of Michigan’s overrun hospitals by addressing the rising demand of care. They are assessing patient symptoms — sometimes even conducting parking-lot triage.
• Health centers are testing for COVID-19, and some are offering drive-thru testing services and curbside prescription fulfillment to reduce the risk of exposure and transmission.
• Health centers are working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to open and expand drive-thru testing locations and provide referral points for residents calling the COVID-19 hotline who don’t have a usual source of care.
• Health centers have transitioned to telephonic care that allows patients to access the medical or behavioral health services they need from home.
• One health center has set up a fast-track clinic that is physically separated from the main building and has dedicated staff members to reduce the spread of transmission.
• In accordance with state and federal guidance, health centers have canceled all routine dental work and are only conducting emergency dental appointments.
• School-based health clinics are currently closed.
Getting it Right When it Matters Most
In partnership with MPCA and local, state, and federal agencies, community health centers are communicating with their patients in new ways:
• One health center launched a hotline to connect patients experiencing COVID-19-related stress to behavioral health therapists over the phone or by email.
• Many are leveraging their social media platforms to share vetted information, post videos to connect with their patients, or host educational Facebook Live events.
• More than ever before, health centers are producing multilingual content about COVID-19 for different audiences.
• One health center is collaborating with a veterans’ organization to provide comforting videos to veterans homes patients who are unable to have visitors because of COVID-19.
Partnering for Success in Michigan and Beyond
MPCA is committed to supporting the work of community health centers by providing them with the resources, information, and peer networking opportunities they need. MPCA supports these
goals by:
• Providing guidance in multiple subject matter areas.
• Conducting weekly informational calls with members.
• Distributing an informational bulletin with policy updates, training opportunities, updated data three times a week.
• Creating an educational social media toolkit.
• Starting a dedicated COVID-19 resource website.
• Assessing personal protective equipment needs on a regular basis.
• Advocating on health centers’ behalf at the state and federal level.
