234814 Federally-Qualified Health Centers minimize the impact of mobility loss in older adult patients through access to transportation services

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Krystal Elaine Knight, MPH , Federal Affairs, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, Washington, DC
Loss of mobility in older adults (65 and older) is associated with falling, loss of independence and mortality. This paper, which to the author's knowledge is the first of its kind, summarizes findings of Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) case studies and how FQHCs minimize the impacts of mobility loss in older adult patients (who would not receive primary services without these transportation programs) by providing access to primary care services through transportation programs. This paper features the transportation programs of four FQHCs located in both urban and rural United States areas: LifeLong Medical Care (Oakland, CA); Hudson Headwaters Health Network (Queensbury, NY); North End Community Health Center (Boston, MA); and Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, Inc. (Clarksdale, MS). This paper is beneficial to primary care providers and public health officials in outlining how transportation may be used to minimize the effects of mobility loss in older adult patients.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the ways in which FQHCs are able to minimize the impact of mobility loss in older adult patients through access to transportation services.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I currently work at the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) as a Public Policy Associate in the Federal Affairs Department. Through my work at NACHC, I have a proficient knowledge of Federally-Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and was able to interview all the FQHCs featured in this report for which I am submitting an abstract. I have been working at NACHC for over a year--previously I was a Master of Public Health student at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. I have over 5 years' experience with long-term care and aging policy, and I was able to use that expertise in writing this report.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
National Association of Community Health Centers none Employment (includes retainer)
Health Resources and Services Administration none Grant recipient

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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