CACTUS HEALTH SERVICES INC
Grant: $126,649 - Health Resources and Services Administration - Mar. 27, 2009
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Award Description: Award Title: Expansion of Services Cactus Health Services serves residents in far remote West Texas, with facilities in Sanderson, Terrell County and Fort Stockton, Pecos County, Texas. The Cactus facility in Sanderson, a remote community located 65 miles from the nearest town of Fort Stockton serves a target area of Terrell County with approximately 1,000 residents, while the Fort Stockton facility serves Pecos County, with a population of approximately 17,000. Both communities are designated as MUA and HPSA Areas. The population to physician ratio for the entire service area is 2,556 to one. Both communities are considered colonias, as characterized by low-income population and lack of water and sewer systems, low-quality and makeshift housing, poor health conditions, lack of health care facilities, and high unemployment. 50% of the service area lives at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, while 24% is uninsured. Residents of Terrell County have long had no dependable access to primary care and were slow to trust that the same medical provider would be available at every visit, and thus were reluctant to engage preventive and continuity care. In 2006, a full-time CMO was hired, and has gained the trust of the residents in Terrell County. Due to management and financial issues, Cactus Health struggled to really promote the Fort Stockton facility. However, since 2007, the organization has made a remarkable financial and operational recovery, is now program compliant and financially stable, and in the process of enhancing medical services. Consequent to this recovery a user growth of 13% was experienced in 2008 with a 28% increase in visits. AS of May 2009, a user growth of 2.5% and a 16% addition increase in visits had occurred compared to the same time last year. Cactus Health long term plan includes hiring of an Operations Manager and Outreach Coordinator/Community Educator in the Fort Stockton facility to improve the many internal restrictions that have hampered the health care delivery in this facility. The Operations Manager will be responsible for evaluating processes, directing staffing needs to ensure proper staff availability, ensuring proper extended hours schedule, and work closely with the CMO, ED and Board of Directors to establish policies and procedures and quality assurance measures. This position will develop an expanded outreach services program which includes active participation with area organizations and agencies, community action groups, schools, employers, the local hospital and the private practice physicians to expand services in both counties. Outreach staff will coordinate health fairs/events, assist with cooking/healthy diet classes, coordinate exercise programs, provide eligibility and program qualification assistance, as well as assist to provide courier services between the communities.
Project Description: Cactus Health proposes to increase staffing, expand services, and extend hours of operation. Cactus Health employs a Doctor of Osteopathy, serving as CMO, and a Physician Assistant. Reduction of provider FTE's has been discussed, if need should arise. In order to retain the full time provider positions, a strategic outreach services plan has been developed and is in implementation process. This includes an outreach worker to expand the previously limited activities particularly in Pecos County. An Operations Manager will be hired to assist with administrative duties, having responsibility for direct management of the Ft. Stockton facility. A part-time support staff position will be hired to fill in when needed as receptions and assistant to the administrative staff. This will ensure proper staff availability and flexibility, and aid in removal of restrictions within the organization. Cactus Health projects to add 248 new users and 600 encounters. In addition, 116 of the anticipated new users are projected to be uninsured. The additional visits is projected to allow the retention of the .30 FTE medical providers and the addition of 1.5 FTE's within the IDS funding.
Jobs Summary: An Operations Manager position was created and filled in the first quarter of funding. With the increased users and visits, providers full time status have been retained. (Total jobs reported: 1)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Mar. 27, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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