Health center in Bedford offers same, next day appointments on sliding scale

Editor's note: This post has been updated with a full list of FQHCs in Bloomington.

A nonprofit health care provider recently opened a new location in Bedford to provide same-day or next-day appointments in an area where patients otherwise may have to wait months to see a doctor.

Indiana Health Centers Bedford, 2415 Mitchell Road, offers access to nurse practitioners and soon hopes to hire a physician and a dentist.

Lawrence County has a medically underserved population, according to the Indiana Primary Health Care Association, and Victoria Malichi, the Bedford practice manager, said the closing of the Ascension primary care walk-in clinic, which used to occupy the same location as IHC Bedford, proved especially troubling.

“It left lots of people without primary care,” she said.

Malichi said the broader mix of patients IHC Bedford accepts and the speed with which it can see patients sets the facility apart from other health providers.

The IHC takes any patient, whether they have private or government insurance or no insurance at all.

Malichi said about 38% of patients are on Medicaid, the government insurance for people with limited income. Another third of patients have private insurance. About 8% have no insurance.

However, those percentages can differ sharply from one IHC to another.

Amber Lupoi, chief operations officer for IHC, said in areas with large migrant populations who generally don’t carry insurance, the share of people who pay strictly out of pocket can go as high as 50%.

Malichi said people who are underinsured or uninsured pay for services on a sliding fee scale depending on their income. Some patients do not have to pay anything at all.

Doctor: Immediate access to health care can make huge difference

Malichi said many people in Lawrence County cannot get an appointment with a primary care physician or nurse practitioner for months, but IHC Bedford can provide appointments on the same day or the next day.

“No one else in town can do that,” she said.

That immediate access can be critical for health outcomes, said Dr. Aaron Kalinowski, chief medical officer for IHC.

When people have a health condition but they have to wait to see a provider, that condition can turn into something much more serious, potentially life-threatening and may require expensive care in an emergency room.

“(Perhaps) it could have been addressed much sooner if you had access to care,” he said.

“You can imagine what would happen to our patients if we weren’t here,” Kalinowski said. “Where else would they be able to go?”

The centers do not handle emergency care but do provide help for acute illnesses, such as the flu, long-term health issues and check-ups.

“Right we’re seeing a lot of patients with diabetes … with substance abuse issues, weight management,” Malichi said.

Kalinowski said one of the benefits of federally qualified health centers, such as the Bedford clinic, is that they employ case managers who can help point people to resources in the community, help them find insurance if they qualify and remove other barriers that limit access to care.

FQHCs funded primarily through federal tax dollars

Federally qualified health centers such as IHC Bedford are funded in large part through federal tax dollars from the Health Resources & Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The centers, according to HRSA, are “community-based and patient-directed organizations that provide affordable, accessible, high-quality primary health care services to individuals and families, including people experiencing homelessness, agricultural workers, residents of public housing, and veterans.”

The HRSA website lists 39 FQHCs for Indiana, though each may operate multiple locations. For example, Indiana Health Centers is one of those 39, but runs more than 20 locations, including its administrative offices in Indianapolis, WIC centers and a mobile clinic.

The website lists the following FQHCs in Bloomington:

• Centerstone Health Services, at 645 Rogers St. The earliest appointments with a primary care provider are about a month out.

• Health Net, Bloomington Health and Dental Center, 811 W. Second St.

• Health Net, Wheeler Mission Center for Men Clinic, 215 S. Westplex Ave.

• Health Net, Middle Way House Clinic, 338 S. Washington St.

• Adult & Child Mental Health Center, Adult and Child at Clear Creek Elementary, 300 W. Clear Creek Drive

You can find a full list of FQHCs here: tinyurl.com/y22uk48p

New health care option welcome in Lawrence County

A Lawrence County official said he was pleased that IHC has come in to provide needed health care services in Bedford, especially because the county has lost some providers.

In 2022, Ascension Health closed St. Vincent Dunn Hospital, which formerly served as the county hospital and dates back to 1941. It was purchased by Haven Health Management to serve as an Indiana Center for Recovery location. ICR plans to offer in-patient substance use disorder and mental health treatment there.

Underserved: Bedford is losing one of its hospitals. What it means for patients and the community

Lawrence County Commissioner Rodney Fish said he appreciates IHC operating a primary care clinic in Bedford.

“It’s critical for a lot of our (people) … that they can find somewhere to go and get treatment,” he said.

A leader in another underserved southern Indiana county said he would love to be able to give his constituents another option other than traveling to nearby counties or waiting for months to get an appointment.

Monty Gregory, county council member in Martin County, which borders Lawrence County, said the county has about 10,000 residents and no hospital. The county has one eye doctor, one dentist and three doctor’s offices, he said.

“The ones that are here are just overwhelmed,” he said.

Gregory is the husband of Brooke Gregory, a nurse practitioner at IHC Bedford.

Monty Gregory said people with a broken tooth may have to wait six months for an appointment or they have to seek care elsewhere, he said.

“It’s hard telling where these people are driving to,” he said. “There’s just not enough doctors and providers in the area.”

Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Nonprofit primary care provider opens clinic in underserved Bedford