Article
FQHC Success Vital to Health of Underserved Communities
With millions of new Medicaid beneficiaries, Federally Qualified Health Centers may not be able to keep up with the increased demand, even with access to federal funding.
Todd Rothenhaus, MD, chief medical officer at athenahealth, wrote in a blog post
"As safety net providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) fill a huge void in American health care," . "They are at the front-lines serving the most vulnerable and delivering care of equal or better quality as the most lavishly funded medical groups. Growing inequality, reduced social mobility, and the thinning of the middle class means that the provision of health care to underserved communities has never been more important."
He voiced concerns that with millions of new Medicaid beneficiaries added under the Affordable Care Act, FQHCs may not be equipped to handle a potential new influx of patients. Even with federal funding, expanding the size of these health centers is challenging. However, doing so, as well as creating new FCHCs is a necessity in order to keep up with increased demand.
Read the full blog post at athenahealth: http://bit.ly/1ti8mV5
