In an effort to keep our patients and staff healthy, we are screening all patients before you enter a Healthy Connections clinic. A staff member will meet you at the door to take your temperature and ask you some screening questions related to COVID-ID infection. If a COVID-19 risk is identified, you will be directed to a designated area for further evaluation. Otherwise, you will proceed to check in with your visit as usual. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. We will continue to post updates at www.healthy-connections.org/covid-19. #Coronavirus #Covid19
NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home™ standards emphasize enhanced care through patient-clinician partnership
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that Healthy Connections, Inc., clinics in Mena, Hot Springs, Malvern, Arkadelphia, Mount Ida, and De Queen have received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relationships.
The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.
The Healthy Connections Montgomery County Community Clinic in Mount Ida (534 Luzerne St.) previously earned this recognition. Other clinics now recognized include:
Appointments for these clinics can be made by calling toll free (888) 710-8220.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from NCQA,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections. “This is a testament to the mission of Healthy connections to provide outstanding, compassionate care to the patients we serve.”
Healthy Connections has three of Arkansas’ 13 PCMH Certified Content Experts on its staff, including Michelle Gibson, RN; Amanda Barrett, LPN, and Rachel Tomaskovic, RN.
To earn recognition, Healthy Connections demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical home. NCQA standards aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.
Over the past 21 years, Healthy Connections has become a lot of things to the communities it services, including primary care/family medicine provider, dentist, pediatrician, or medical specialist. But mostly it is a place all people can go to receive quality care regardless of their ability to pay.
Healthy Connections accepts Medicaid, including ARKids 1st, Medicare and most private health insurances. There are also appointment openings for all patients, sometimes even same-day, at all of the clinics. As a Federally-Qualified Health Center, Healthy Connections providers treat thousands of patients each year who have no insurance or not enough insurance to cover essential health and dental services. This is done as part of a sliding-fee schedule, which is determined by the total family income of the patient. Qualified applicants can receive treatment at a reduced rate.
For more information, visit www.healthy-connections.org.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.
Join Healthy Connections Pediatrics Clinic at the Garland County Library for Pediatrics 101 at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 1.
Jeremy Porter, MD, and Nicole Meggers, LCSW, will present information related to the Garland County Library’s most requested topic: Pediatrics Behavioral Health. Porter and Meggers will talk about behavioral health issues for children that adults may not have thought to be so common. Typically, parents and caregivers don’t talk to pediatricians about behavioral health issues until the children are having problems with performance at school our trouble with relationships, peers, or authority. Or the parents are at the “end of their rope” and looking for answers.
Porter will explain issues, symptoms, and signals to some common and uncommon behavioral problems. He will offer solutions and information every caregiver will benefit from. Porter said, “We are all people, but somehow children’s emotional difficulties can be unexpected by adults.” Porter is also comfortable speaking Spanish for parents and children whose primary language is not English.
Meggers, who is a licensed clinical social worker and children’s psychotherapist, will then have a Q&A to answer any questions you may have.
In order to attend, you have to reserve your spot. Please visit this link to sign up.
Congratulations to our Healthy Connections September Employees of the Month:
• East: Celene Viana
• West: Dana Logan
As Employees of the Month, they are entitled to either a $50 gift card or one day off.
Celene and Dana exemplify the Healthy Connections pillars of Excellence, Compassion, and Community.
Celene is a LPN at the Hot Springs Central Clinic, while Dana is a phlebotomist in Mena.
Check out what one of Celene’s co-workers had to say about her:
- “Celene is a team player. She is asked to do anything and everything and she is always willing to go above and beyond without push back.”
And what some of Dana’s co-workers had to say about her
- “Dana is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and THE nicest co-worker. She always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face. If she is having a bad day I promise you will never know it. She is the first to volunteer when we need help cleaning the clinic and she does it with a grateful heart. We need more Dana’s in the world.”
“Dana is always courteous. Keeps a smile on her face and always helpful.”
“Loves to work, enjoys helping others and is a hard-working mother.”
Do you know who should be our next Healthy Connections Employees of the Month? Submit your nomination at www.healthy-connections.org/nominate.
Congratulations to our Healthy Connections August Employees of the Month:
- West: Mary Smith
- East: Andrea Pilcher, LPN
As Employees of the Month, they are entitled to either a $50 gift card or one day off.
Mary and Andrea exemplify the Healthy Connections pillars of Excellence, Compassion, and Community. Mary works in the Business Office in Mena, while Andrea works at the Hot Springs Central clinic.
Check out what Mary’s co-workers had to say about her:
- “She works very hard to keep all the finances up and running. She really holds the whole department together.”
And what Andrea’s co-workers had to say about her:
- “Over the past month, our clinic has had to adjust to being open five days a week. Our clinic is already short-handed when it comes to nurses and Andrea has stepped up to volunteer to work five days a week. Because she is working with multiple providers, Andrea comes in early and stays late most days to ensure her patient care is complete. Although this transition has been difficult at times, Andrea consistently vows to put the patients first and work hard to ensure her providers are taken care of.”
- “We have been low staffed this month and she has done an amazing job of working with the team and working her hardest each and every day, even when others were not. She shows compassion and care for the patients and works well with the rest of the staff!”
Do you know who should be our next Healthy Connections Employees of the Month? Submit your nomination at www.healthy-connections.org/nominate.
Healthy Connections will now have Friday clinic hours at six Arkansas locations.
In order to increase accessibility and the overall experience for patients, clinics in Mena, Hot Springs, Malvern, Mount Ida, and De Queen are now open to see family medical and primary care patients on Fridays.
The Friday clinics will be:
- Mena, 136 Health Park Lane, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Hot Springs, 102 Chippewa Court, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Hot Springs, 3604 Central Avenue, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Malvern Clinic, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Mount Ida (Montgomery County Community Clinic), 534 Luzerne Street, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- DeQueen, 1367 W. Collin Raye Drive, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Call (888) 710-8220 for an appointment. All clinics accept most forms of medical insurance, Medicaid and Medicare; however, no person will be turned away for lack of insurance. Qualified families will be charged according to their total family income (please see our discounted medical & dental care program page for details). Enrollment assistance is also available for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
Note that specialty services, dental, behavioral health, and some imaging services may not be available during this time. Acute pediatrics patients will be seen at the adult medicine clinics in Hot Springs and DeQueen.
Healthy Connections operates 10 clinics, including three school-based health centers, in Arkansas. For more information, visit www.healthy-connections.org.
