Healthcare continues to top the list of conversations and most of the discussions center around access and insurance coverage. These two topics go together because the lack of insurance coverage and reimbursement by insurers are creating access issues, or barriers to care.
You can have the best, most comprehensive insurance, but if no local providers are accepting that company or type of coverage, you’re still left with access issues. This is why Angel Medical Center (AMC) has it rural health clinic, Mission Health Center Franklin, to offer a care option that is focused on providing access to as many people in our community as possible. Our clinic accepts Medicare, Medicaid, most all insurances, and has options for self-pay patients.
This issue creates more challenges for the community. You may have insurance but have trouble getting an appointment to receive the care that you need. AMC has four primary care physicians and five nurse practitioners who do everything they can to provide exceptional care to our community, but even with this coverage, the demand for care is greater than the ability we have to accommodate it.
What are your options when you cannot make an appointment when you need it? Come to the Mission My Care Now - Franklin, see one of the providers, and get established as a patient. This will help you get the care you need promptly, as well as get into the office of one of our other providers for care.
Our goal is to find you the care you need and improve your overall health and wellbeing. We are very fortunate to have other community partners that can help people needing to find care, including Community Care Clinic, Vecinos Clinic, the Health Department, and other local providers. Many of these clinics provide options to help those who have Medicare, Medicaid, or who are uninsured.
Readers may wonder why I haven’t mentioned the Emergency Department (ED) as a location to get care. The goal for achieving health and wellbeing is to get care and services before they become an emergency. The ED is designed to help those who are experiencing a medical emergency — such as a heart attack, stroke, or serious injury — not care for chronic conditions or provide preventive care.
This is the reason I encourage everyone to become an established patient with a community provider, so that you have somewhere to get the preventative and maintenance care that you need to sustain optimal health.
Preventative and maintenance care is what is needed to ensure better overall health. The better your health, the less that you will need to spend on healthcare. Finding care and the right type of care should start before you ever need to see a provider.
Happy summer, and please know that Angel Medical Center is here for your emergency care needs. Again, the best way to keep from having an ED visit is prevention, mindfulness, and good overall health. Keep summer safety in mind and protect yourself from the sun, fireworks, burns, dehydration and other seasonal injuries. Additionally, I want to get more specific about what prevention is. Prevention here means heat safety (staying hydrated and protected), water safety (wearing life vests while tubing or boating, for example), knowing your limitations, and refraining from consuming alcohol or drugs, just to name a few.
It’s important to be vigilant about always having a safety-first mindset — no matter what season it is — and staying healthy and happy by connecting and building a relationship with a trusted provider. You can connect with Angel Primary Care, Angel Orthopedics, and Mission My Care Now - Franklin by calling (828) 349-6800.
Clint Kendall, FACHE, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, is Chief Executive Officer/Chief Nursing Officer of Angel Medical Center. He started his career as a nurse, and that perspective still informs his work and passion for the patient experience. Clint holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Nursing, and Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University. Clint has also earned the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) certification, and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American Nurses Association (ANA).