Summer Newsletter 2014

septiembre 5, 2014

A Note from Our Executive Director

As the summer nears its end, we are pleased to share some highlights of our 2013 annual report with you. The annual report process allows us to evaluate our progress year to year along with informing our strategy. As healthcare costs continue to rise, we have also felt the effects of this overall trend. In 2013, we had a shortfall of approximately $22k compared to a surplus of about $215K in 2012. In spite of that, Mission Neighborhood Health Center continues to care for a large number of uninsured individuals who did not qualify for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. In addition to revenue and expense figures, we also provide you with a view into volume and patient and payer mix.

In this issue, we share some exciting new programs: Cooking Matters, focused on helping our patients learn new habits to improve their health; and the addition of the Avon Mammography Van that sits outside our Shotwell site offering the convenience of a screening mammography every couple months; and our participation in the Mission Community Ambassadors program dedicated to keeping our community safer.

We also highlight some of the UCSF research studies in which we participate. MNHC has a long history of collaborating in research efforts that support the needs and concerns of our patients. We carefully evaluate the potential benefits of the study prior to agreeing to participate. We also want to share some recent news about our Women’s Health Centering Program and recent recognition from San Francisco Health Plan.

As always, we are grateful for your ongoing support and welcome any feedback.

2013 Annual Report

In 2013, through the support of government programs and donors we were able to maintain a strong financial position and continue to serve a significant number of the uninsured and low-income patients.

Financial Overview

The bulk of our budget (52.2%) supported our primary care activities followed by our HIV Services (24.6%) and homeless services (21.5%). Grants comprised 47.5% of our funding followed by 41.1% by third party payers. Fifteen percent of our patients were over 100% of poverty level with poverty defined as an annual income of $23,500 for a family of four. Nearly 46% of our patients had no insurance, 41.1% had Medi-Cal and 5.2% had Medicare. Only 3.1% had private insurance.

Patient Mix

Nearly 40% of patients cared for in 2013 were under the age of 18; eighty-one percent of all patients were Latino. We continued to primarily see patients from the poorest neighborhoods in the city including the Mission, Excelsior, Bayview/Visitacion Valley and the Tenderloin.

Visits

Although the majority of visits in 2013 were preventive (64%) and focused on maintaining the health and well being of our patients, similar to the rest of the nation, MNHC cared for a significant number of patients with chronic disease such as heart disease/hypertension, diabetes and HIV. We also saw a significant increase (31%) in the number of homeless individuals served

Cooking Matters – to Our Patients and Staff!

On May 28, 2014, seventeen MNHC patients graduated from the inaugural Cooking Matters class offered in collaboration with 18 reasons, a non-profit organization which shares its culinary skills and creativity with low-income communities through a free six-week-long series of cooking and nutrition classes. Iran Pont, RD, Chronic Care Coordinator, started the idea and worked closely with the staff at 18reasons to offer the classes. The class was open to any patient who self-recruited through the flyers distributed at our MNHC sites.

Classes were held weekly in the afternoon for 2 hours and consisted of 30 minutes of nutrition and cooking education, 30 minutes of a cooking demonstration and 1 hour of food preparation. Topics included fundamentals of cooking, food safety, healthy choices, how to use a knife, how to read labels, plating method and other helpful tips. At the end of every class, participants received a free reusable Cooking Matters bag filled with fruits and vegetables.

The goal was to offer patients who have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes an educational program to help them learn how to cook healthier and help mitigate risk factors.

“The patients just loved the class, were always on time and stayed to clean up! They didn’t want to miss anything,” said Iran. “Even the staff wanted the recipes and handouts.” She also relayed that one of her patients who had already lost 40 pounds prior to the class was motivated to participate.

18 Reasons in concert with their parent organization, Share our Strength, routinely measure the value of the classes through a pre- and post-survey of attendees. In 2013 in a post-survey study of 899 adult graduates in all of Cooking Matters’ San Francisco programs, 54% were planning meals ahead of time more often, comparing prices before buying food 42% more often, shopping with a grocery list 59% more often and thinking about healthy food choices 42% more often. We are confident that some of our 2014 graduates will also follow this trend and hope to repeat the course next year.

Avon Mammography Van On Site Boosts Convenience
and Early Detection at MNHC

Since the summer of 2013, the Avon Mammography Van, housing a mobile digital imaging unit funded largely by the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade and managed by the Avon Comprehensive Breast Care Center at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), sits quietly outside the main entrance to MNHC’s Shotwell site one day every other month offering routine screening mammograms to MNHC patients. Prior to the van’s arrival patients were referred to either SFGH or St. Lukes hospital to receive their mammograms. With the arrival of the van, patients enjoy the convenience of coming to a site with which they are already familiar and have easy access as their paperwork is processed ahead of time.

Ensuring that our patients receive preventive care is a foundation of our mission. Along with being a visible reminder of the importance of screening for early detection of breast cancer, follow-through is another benefit of the van’s presence. To date over 150 women have received mammography in the mobile unit and utilization continues to increase as our patients become familiar with seeing the Van outside the front door. We are also proud to report that MNHC boasted the highest show rate in 2013 at 80% of any clinic in the city using the Van.

Given that early detection saves lives, the effort has already been worthwhile diagnosing cancer in one patient who received her mammogram in the van.

Upcoming dates in 2014 are September 23 and November 17.
Hours: 9am-12pm & 1:00pm-2:30pm

Early Detection Saves Lives!

Mission Community Ambassadors Keep our Streets Safe

Mission Neighborhood Resource Center (MNRC), a Mission Neighborhood Health Center facility serving the homeless0, is participating in the Mission Community Ambassadors Program, a street-smart safety program designed to promote safety and bridge tensions in the Mission community. Developed and operated by the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA), MNRC ambassadors and a team leader provide a daily presence and general assistance to un-housed residents, visitors, merchants and workers at 16th and Mission and surrounding areas.

MNRC Ambassadors

Five graduates of the MNRC’s neighborhood internship program serve as ambassadors. Graduates, all city residents, received extensive training on safety techniques, crime prevention, community outreach and cultural sensitivity and carry picture identification and brightly marked jackets so individuals can easily request assistance. The program runs from May through August 2014 weekdays from 2pm-6pm.

MNHC Collaborates with University of California Research

MNHC has a long history of collaborating in research efforts that support the needs and concerns of our patients. We carefully evaluate the potential benefits of the study prior to agreeing to participate. Current studies in which we are participating include:

UCSF Connection to Health (CTH) Project.

A primary care self-management support program, the CTH project compares three different methods for assisting primary care practices in improving self-management support for patients with chronic disease and/or a need for adopting healthier lifestyle behaviors. Our Excelsior Clinic is participating in this study.

UCSF Risk Factors for Infant Overweight in Latino Cohort Study.

Evaluating the relationship between maternal prenatal and postpartum symptoms of depression and infant growth to two years. We have agreed to be a field site for recruiting participants.

UC Berkeley – Primary Care Activity Referrals to the Community Study.

Measures the health impact of primary care referral systems for connecting overweight or obese youth aged 6-18 years with community programs offering physical activities such as swimming, dance, and baseball.

We hope to be able to report findings as they become available.

In the News…

MNHC’s Centering Pregnancy© program was featured in a story in June 2014 titled Low-Income Latinas Turn to Group Visits for Prenatal Care on KQED’s California Report and web site. The story highlights the many benefits patients derive from a program that offers women the opportunity to prepare for their pregnancy in a group setting that fosters learning and community support. Groups of typically 8-10 women who are due to deliver in the same month meet together with a facilitator (midwife, social worker or health educator) throughout their pregnancy and after delivery. Centering Pregnancy© services are offered in Spanish and include:

• Medical care by Certified Nurse Midwives
• Regular visits with nutritionist, health educator and social worker
• Health education classes including preparation for labor, breastfeeding, postpartum care, maternal
nutrition and how to care for your baby
• Social support groups and activities
• Post-delivery follow up care

Click here to see the story.

MNHC recognized for “Excellence in Healthcare Operations”

We are proud to report that MNHC was recently recognized by San Francisco Health Plan for “Excellence in Healthcare Operations.” MNHC participated in several programs aimed at improving the patient experience that resulted in improved access for our patients.