Osceola Community Health Services is working hard to connect with patients who may be experiencing a lapse in care due to the recent closures of more than 13 health retail health clinics in Osceola County.
Recent closures of Walgreens Village Medical and Walmart Health underscore the critical role of community health centers like Osceola Community Health Services. These centers deeply understand the communities they serve and are uniquely equipped to deliver quality healthcare to those who have lost access.
Osceola Community Health Services has served Osceola County for 22 years and is strategically located in Kissimmee, Buenaventura Lakes, Poinciana, Intercession City, and St. Cloud.
Osceola Community Health Services patients are able to take advantage of their sliding fee scale program, a benefit retail health clinics such as Walmart, CVS, and Village Medical are unable to participate in. The sliding fee scale program allows patients to reduce the costs of care for uninsured patients or apply the program to insurance deductibles for insured patients.
In the coming weeks, Osceola Community Health Services outreach representatives will be available at locations throughout Osceola County to help new patients schedule appointments and navigate insurance questions. During the summer months, patients will have the opportunity to connect with a medical provider through the mobile medical unit. Locations where the medical unit will be located can be found on the OCHS website
Through funding provided by the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners, residents of Districts 2, 3, and 4 can now rediscover their smile through no, or low-cost denture services through the Seniors Smile Mobile Denture Program administered by Osceola Community Health Services.
“Partnering with community service agencies is a certain way to make certain that people who need our services know our services are available to them, said Dr. Belinda Johnson-Cornett, CEO and President of Osceola Community Health Services. “As a community health center, it is essential that we use this time to help ease the transition for the patients who are most impacted by the closures and offer career opportunities to qualified medical and dental assistants, providers, and patient service representatives who may lose employment in the coming months. It is important for patients to understand that their continuity of care is vital, and connecting with our providers sooner rather than later can improve their health outcomes. As a community health center, we are able to offer long-term stability for employment in a team-oriented patient focused environment, with the goal of helping to improve quality of life and health outcomes in our community. Our employee benefits include health, disability, and life insurance. We observe most major holidays, and we are an approved site for several loan reimbursement or forgiveness programs.”
The University of Central Florida recently invited Dr. Johnson to be a panelist during Public Health Week. An OCHS Nurse Care Manager, Georgiana Malaykhan, RN educated attendees on cervical cancer during the Lupus Awareness Event at Robert Guevara Community Center on May 4.
This month marks the start of OCHS’ weekly outreach at CareerSource Central Florida to engage employment-seeking participants and provide them with patient education and ensure they remain connected to health services during their transition between jobs. Since the pandemic, OCHS continues providing health education, supplies, and assistance to people who are experiencing homelessness or inadequate housing.
