Mercy Health System - Janesville Community Health Center at Mercy Clinic South

Overview

In 2006, Mercy Health System partnered with Community Health Systems, Inc., of Beloit, Wis., to open the Janesville Community Health Center (JCHC), a clinic that provides free and low-cost medical primary care to low-income uninsured and underinsured county residents (client fees are determined on a sliding schedule based upon family income). The first-of-its-kind partnership – whereby a health system provides physicians and support staff under contract to a federally chartered CHC – is the result of more than three years of work with local partners and the federal government to design a new model of care for the underserved. Before the JCHC’s development, local free clinic resources had been stretched beyond capacity, making it even harder for uninsured and underinsured patients to maintain long-term connections with physicians to manage their ongoing health and provide consistent care for chronic conditions. These patients were instead straining the local hospital’s emergency department (ED) and forgoing preventive care.

Impact

In addition to offering a wide array of preventive services, JCHC continues to relieve pressure on the local hospital’s ED. Since its inception in October 2006, JCHC has seen a monthly average of 366 patients, of whom 282 are Medicaid-eligible. More than 77 percent of the patients who come to JCHC are eligible for Medicaid or Badger Care government assistance programs; the rest qualify for either an income-based sliding-fee scale or are seen through the Janesville HealthNet free clinic. Approximately 70 percent of JCHC’s patients report that, prior to the creation of JCHC, they used the local ED for routine health care. Since its opening, the JCHC has diverted nearly $12.5 million in ED charges while overall health outcomes have improved.

Challenges/success factors

JCHC was created without any local tax support or additional burden placed on community members, so it is both workable and affordable in the long term. Also, the JCHC model complements services like free clinics and charitable care, thereby expanding access. The model allows providers to collaborate with the community in delivering cost-effective, comprehensive, high-quality care to underserved populations.

Future direction/sustainability

Community Health Systems, Inc., reimburses Mercy Health System expenses on a capitated rate per office visit, and Mercy Health System covers any additional costs. As a beta site, the JCHC paves the way for similar collaborations in other communities, ultimately creating a stronger, more resilient safety net.

Advice to others

Believe in your vision, and be willing to work for long-haul acceptance. The first step toward replicating this model in your community is to begin a dialogue with potential partners, while keeping an open mind. Creativity and collaboration may lead to unexpected, and quite wonderful, results.

Contact: Barbra Bortner
Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations
Telephone: 608-743-2052
E-mail: bbortner@mhsjvl.org