Outreach & Value-Based Care: Impacting Health Care Delivery and Cost through Integrated Community Health Outreach Programs

Robust, community-driven outreach models are critical for ensuring access to and utilization of health care services by underserved populations. However, under a traditional structure of payment for health services, many outreach activities and other enabling services...

Reaching People Experiencing Homelessness Through Street Medical Outreach

In Denver, Colorado, the homeless population is highly visible; many live on Denver’s streets, under bridges, and in alleys. For most, accessing health care and social support services is difficult and focusing on daily survival takes precedent. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (the Coalition) proactively engages patients to link them to information and social support services, as well as provides medical care…

Using a Harm Reduction Approach and Mobile Outreach to Promote Health Among Those Engaged in Street-Based Sex Work and Drug Use

Harm reduction is an evidence-based, public health approach that uses practical strategies to reduce the harmful consequences associated with certain high-risk behaviors[1]. For example, a harm reduction approach to drug use could involve counseling someone about the risks involved or giving them sterile syringes. With the aim of “meeting people where they’re at”…

Making Medication Accessible Through the Patient Assistant Program

Five years ago, MHSI established a Patient Assistance Program (PAP) so farmworkers have access to medication that would otherwise be unaffordable. Through the PAP, MHSI works with 14 different pharmaceutical companies to provide farmworkers with medications at little to no cost. As of November 2013, there were 51 patients enrolled in the program with 40-45 patients actively participating…

Tracking and Evaluating Outreach to Improve Performance

Tracking and evaluating outreach programs enables organizations to measure success, identify areas for improvement, and maintain accountability to funders, staff, clients, and the community. CareSouth Carolina utilizes tracking and performance improvement methods to strengthen and sustain its outreach efforts…