Untreated patients end up costing the entire community
September 2021 – According to a report published in 2019 by the Florida Department of Health, 19.2% of residents in Palm Beach County are uninsured, a number that most likely is much higher today. For the past 15 years, the nonprofit program of Palm Beach County Medical SocietyServices (PBCMSS), Project Access, has provided more than $14.4 million in health care services for this population, including screenings, direct care, and assistance in finding critical community resources. The organization, however, is facing a crisis due to a lack of providers willing to treat this population.
“If every physician in Palm Beach County was willing to do their small part and join oureffort, together we could easily serve the needs of the uninsured and under insured in our community, said Dr. Maureen Whelihan, a gynecologist who has been treating patients as a volunteer for years.
Dr. Whelihan explained that Project Access makes the process easy for providers by allowing them to decide how many and what kind of patients they see. In addition, all participating physicians, hospitals, and ancillary centers receive sovereign immunity as well as CME credits.
“The staff at Project Access are professional and extremely organized,” she added. “Agreeing to see even one patient every six months can make a huge difference.”
Currently, the greatest need is for specialists, including vascular surgeons, gastroenterologists, oncologists, pulmonologists and gynecologists. Creating a network for chemotherapy is particularly urgent, as currently some patients must travel out of the County to receive care.
Dr. Andrew Larson, the Chair of Project Access and a volunteer surgeon, has seen first-hand how this community effort helps keep patients healthy and out of the emergency room. He treated a man diagnosed with pre-diabetes and an inguinal hernia.
“He never burdened the system with additional emergency room visits and received his diabetes education and monitoring through the resident clinic in an ongoing fashion,” said Dr. Larson. “Without the guidance of Project Access staff, it is unlikely he would have discovered this resource on his own and it is very likely he would have ended up with several emergency room bills. Our volunteers make a difference every day.”
For more information about how to be a part of Project Access, contact Karen Harwood, MSW, CCM, Director of Community Programs at karenh@pbcms.org or visit the Project Access website. All licensed providers, including nurse practitioners, are needed.
ABOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY SERIVCES
The nonprofit arm of the Palm Beach County Medical Society provides and coordinates continuing medical education for physicians and allied health professionals. PBCMS Services also works to inform and educate the public about health care issues, strives to find ways to improve patient access to health care, and collects and studies information on the health care delivery system.
