Buncombe County Medical Society (Foundation)

WESTERN CAROLINA MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION IS A PHYSICIAN- AND COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATION. ITS MISSION IS TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE, DISPARITIES IN HEALTH, WELLNESS AND PREVENTION.

DEVELOP A PROPOSAL TO MOVE MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS UPSTREAM TOWARD WELLNESS & PREVENTION: THE MOVING HEALTH CARE UPSTREAM COMMITTEE IS CO-LED BY THE WCMS PRESIDENT AND A WNC BUSINESS LEADER. JULY BROUGHT A FOLLOW-UP PRESENTATION BY BCBS LEADERSHIP IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LEADER OF UNCA'S CENTER FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS AND FOCUSED ON A 'WELLNESS COORDINATOR' MODEL FOR BUSINESSES. THE FACT-FINDING PHASE OF OUR JOURNEY CAME TO A CLOSE IN AUGUST WITH A PRESENTATION OF A PHYSICIAN-LED WELLNESS AND PREVENTION MODEL FOCUSED ON SMALL-TO MID-SIZED BUSINESSES. BOTH SEPTEMBER'S AND OCTOBER'S MEETINGS WERE PHYSICIANS- ONLY DISCUSSIONS OF THE MODEL PRESENTED TO THE FULL COMMITTEE BACK IN AUGUST. DUE TO THE COMPLEXITIES, TIME REQUIREMENTS AND COMPETING DEMANDS ON THE MHU COMMITTEE'S PHYSICIANS, THE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2014 MEETINGS WERE CANCELLED, TO RESUME IN JANUARY 2015 AS WE MOVE TOWARDS LAUNCHING A PILOT PROGRAM IN THE FEBRUARY-MARCH 2015 TIMEFRAME.

ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: 1. CONTINUE ENHANCING ACCESS TO CARE FOR THE REGION BY: A. COLLABORATING WITH OUR FUNDERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO REDESIGN PROJECT ACCESS TO COMPLEMENT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE (HIM). CROSS-TRAINING OF OUR PA NAVIGATORS AND CERTIFIED APPLICATION COUNSELORS AS HEALTH ACCESS COUNSELORS WITH ABOUT 60 HOURS OF TRAINING TO PROVIDE ONE-STOP TRIAGE AND ENROLLMENT OF PATIENTS/CONSUMERS INTO THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAM (PROJECT A

ON NOVEMBER 12TH ONE OF WCMS' NEWLY CROSS-TRAINED AND CERTIFIED HEALTH ACCESS COUNSELORS WAS CO-LOCATED AT MAHEC AS PART OF THE '1300 PROJECT' TEAM WHOSE GOAL IS TO SCREEN AND ENROLL 1300 UNINSURED PATIENTS WHO'VE BEEN DISCHARGED FROM MISSION HOSPITAL AND/OR MISSION ED INTO EITHER PROJECT ACCESS, THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE, MEDICAID OR MEDICARE, AS ELIGIBLE. THIS NEW INITIATIVE IS SERVING MULTIPLE PROGRAMS/PARTNERS AND YIELDING A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN TERMS OF KE