Spring Branch Community Health Center

TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HEALTHY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES.

Vision: To champion community wellness by providing integrated health services to all.

Goal One: Open new neighborhood-based health clinics which accept low-income, uninsured, and under-insured patients regardless of the ability to pay for services.

Goal Two: Fully integrate preventative, primary, dental, behavioral health care, and social services so both community residents and registered patients may access an array of services in one visit.

Goal Three: Assess our community's needs annually to inform our program offerings, place providers in shortage areas, increase access to all health services, and choose beneficial partnerships.

SBCHC was awarded $150,000 from Episcopal Health Foundation to invest in organizational effectiveness. SBCHC's executive management engaged a consultant to develop the executive management team's leadership style, values, and policy. Separately, SBCHC hosts monthly meetings of company managers. This mid-level group is currently reviewing leadership development strategies to undertake including consultant-led training/workshops. Medical providers and staff are led by the Chief Medical Officer, the Director of Nursing, and the Quality Manager. Medical staff and operations staff review each other's work consistently to both manage processes, increase safety, and ensure quality. Clinics hold weekly meetings among managers as well to plan schedules and foster interactions among clinics and department teams. SBCHC is undergoing a renewal of our cultural values and a re-examination of our organizational offerings moving forward. As we continue to grow we intend to strengthen all systems.

Amid widespread panic over COVID-19, SBCHC must maintain operations to continue accepting low-income patients, with or without insurance, regardless of ability to pay. SBCHC has remained committed to increasing access to health care for over fifteen years. SBCHC provided the health care services necessary to curb the spread of infectious disease, reduce emergency room overuse, and keep people healthy during this uncertain time. As the number of infections rose globally, SBCHC has started implementing patient procedures to continue operating to serve the community’s most vulnerable during the pandemic. SBCHC continued direct patient care, staff time, procure supplies, and increase access to social services through our health centers during the National Emergency. SBCHC maintained operations during this crisis in order to support larger health care systems through processing labs, taking referrals, and safely performing primary care services. For example, SBCHC will continue visits for childhood vaccinations, prenatal visits, diabetic care, prescription consults, and sick visits. SBCHC adapted our telemedicine platforms to encompass physical health visits, altered our operating procedures, and ordered additional safety equipment to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In 2020, a majority of patients reported household incomes below the 200% FPL. During the crisis, many in the Fort-Bend-Katy, Waller, and Cypress area were left without clear leadership and we hope to be a resource for them. As an FQHC, SBCHC frequently covers the costs of patient care; we now see more patients than ever who cannot afford their necessary care. SBCHC remained available in these times to coordinate with local organizations to provide essential social services such as food distributions, assistance with emergency aid applications, and links to relief programs.