SV Herald: Chiricahua health realizes dream of expansion

In recent months CCHCI has realized a dream of expanding its foothold in Sierra Vista, after moving into a facility on Calle Portal and quadrupling in size.

Despite building a formidable presence in the health industry over the last two decades, the organization still struggles with the perception that it offers medical care to low-income individuals and families only.

“We’ve been silent for a long time on what we do,” said chief administrator officer Jessica King.

The services that CCHCI provides are open to anyone in Cochise County and run the gamut of medical needs, including behavioral health, dental, dietetics, laboratory, medical, outreach and therapy.

“Our goal is to provide comprehensive care to all,” said public relations and media specialist Sarah Pacheco, who was brought on recently to help spread that message. “We want to be the provider of choice for everyone in Cochise County.”

Determined to reach all parts of its 6,200 square miles region, CCHCI offers mobile services in those areas where it does not have a permanent building.

Just this month, it learned it had been successful in its application for a $165,000 grant from the Legacy Foundation of Southeastern Arizona, which will be used to provide mobile medical care in Benson.

The funds come hot on the heels of a $954,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Applied for two years ago, and assumed to be unsuccessful, CCHCI now plans to renovate its Bisbee clinic.

The expansion in Sierra Vista last August came at a time when the organization was anticipating having to raise hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars over several years to build a facility large enough to accommodate its growing services.

In 2014 it transferred from a mobile unit in the city to a brick and mortar building on Campus Drive, but quickly outgrew it.

The premises on Calle Portal, which was originally filled with medical offices, became available as several of those services moved to be closer to the new hospital, Canyon Vista Medical Center.

“This worked out wonderfully,” said King. “It would have taken us several years to build a new building. But we are proud to have a great history of revitalizing buildings in the communities we serve.”

The center now houses comprehensive adult and pediatric services, as well as administrative offices, while its dental clinic has remained at the Campus Drive location.

In the last year alone CCHCI, which employs 260 people across the county, has created 25 new jobs as it expands its services, and continues to look for new talent to add to its pool of expertise.

It has taken full advantage of a program offered by the federally funded National Health Service Corps, which provides medical training loan reimbursement to providers willing to live in a rural area for at least two years.

“I think we’ll be doubling our adult care staff in the next year,” King said.

One of 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers in Arizona, and 26,000 across the country, CCHCI never turns anyone away.

The goal, though, is to get as many people as possible covered under the Affordable Healthcare Act, or other programs.

“Every new uninsured patient sits down with an enrollment expert to help them through the process,” explained Pacheco.

Adds King, “After the Affordable Healthcare Act became law we definitely saw an increase in people looking for our services.”

Of the 28,000 patients who use CCHCI for their healthcare needs, 50 percent do not have insurance.

Enrollment specialists are at all sites to assist patients in signing up for the Affordable Healthcare Act Marketplace, or other insurance programs.

A sliding fee scale is also offered for those who are uninsured or underinsured, based on family size and income. Proof of income is required.

Additionally CCHCI, which accepts all insurances, allows those who do not have insurance or qualify for the sliding fee scale to receive preventative and acute care visits for $45, paid on the day of service.

“We do a lot of community outreach to seek out those people who need our services,” said Pacheco, adding that the organization is also a great resource for small businesses that cannot afford to offer employee health insurance.

“We would certainly encourage businesses to send their employees to sit down with one of our enrollment specialists,” she said. “It can be really complicated. Our goal is to get everyone on health insurance.”