Salud Family Health Centers - Other Services

Our Programs & Services (continued)

Diabetes Collaborative/Chronic Care Model
Salud is participating in a national Diabetes Collaborative sponsored by the Bureau of Primary Health Care. Using the breakthrough series Chronic Care Model developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the collaborative is based on a model for chronic care that involves interdisciplinary patient care management, behavioral modification, and substantial patient involvement (self-management) in the care process. Through the collaborative study, Salud exchanges information and ideas with community health centers throughout the country. The program has been highly successful at the Fort Lupton clinic resulting in significant improvements in health outcomes. Salud plans to spread the diabetes collaborative to all of its sites, and in addition, the model will be used to manage other chronic conditions of its patients.

Environmental Health
Salud has developed a statewide Environmental Health Program in cooperation with Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colorado. The purpose of the program is to address the environmental and occupational needs of agricultural workers. Several special grants and contracts with EPA, NIOSH, CDC, BPHC and NIC fund the program through the university. The program provides environmental health services to north-central, western and southern Colorado. Ed Hendrickson, Salud's Environmental Health Director, serves on CSU's Advisory Committee for the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HI-CAHS).

Patient Visit Re-Design
In 2000, Salud implemented the Patient Visit Redesign collaborative, a nationally recognized model for patient visit satisfaction at its Ft. Lupton and Commerce City sites. The model involves implementing principles which radically re-engineer patient flow to insure that patient waiting time is kept to a minimum with enhanced quality care. The outcomes of this program include an improved patient experience, higher productivity for providers and improved health care for the patient. Salud intends to extend the Patient Visit Redesign collaborative to all of its service sites.

Specialty Services
In addition to its primary care services, Salud offers many specialty services at various sites. Specialty services are frequently difficult to find for low income and rural populations. Salud has been very successful in working with local specialists in its service areas to provide high-risk obstetrics, otolaryngology, cardiology, ophthalmology, specialty pediatrics, adolescent prenatal services and podiatry. With prenatal care being the number one outpatient diagnosis for the Salud system and deliveries accounting for the majority of hospital visits, the organization has placed primary importance on obstetrics case management. Salud provides case managers and ultrasound services to its obstetrics patients. Salud also sponsors the Prenatal Plus program coordinated by the state health department at two of its sites.