In an effort to improve access to care and become more customer-friendly, Macon County Public Health will officially discontinue its long-standing practice of established “clinic days” in favor of an “open access” system. Macon County Health Director Jim Bruckner explained, “Open access is a scheduling system where patients are seen at the first available appointment slot, regardless of the reason for their visit.” Bruckner went on to explain that open access will improve customer service by reducing wait times often associated with participating in a public health service. “For example,” stated Bruckner, “children will longer have to wait for the twice a month Child Health Clinic; they will be given the first available appointment slot and still receive all of the customary services.”
The open access system at the public health center will result in an experience which is similar to what patients are accustomed to with a regular physician’s office visit. Patients will call in for a service and be given the first available appointment slot; often falling on the actual day they call for service. The open access scheduling will be used for most clinical services including laboratory work.
“This project is a result of our on-going Quality Improvement program” stated Bruckner. “Our staff has been working on the transition to this system for some time and to facilitate a smooth process, we’ve enlisted the help of the NC Center for Public Health Quality, the NC Institute for Public Health, and the Area Health Education Center.” Professionals from these organizations will be on-hand at the public health center the week of January 17th to ensure an efficient transition. Bruckner said the agency’s goal is to reduce the current wait times from up to three weeks to less than three days for certain programs.
Bruckner emphasized that the public health center is not changing the type of services they offer, only the scheduling system. “Patients will still receive the same high quality service; however, in order to have this new system work efficiently for everyone, appointments will be required for all clinical services.” Bruckner also explained that this new system will not change the Highlands and Nantahala clinic days. Access to services and office hours in those communities will remain the same.
Macon County Public Health currently offers a variety of personal health services to residents of Macon County. These services include the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program; child and adult health screenings, family planning, prenatal care, routine and international travel immunizations, WIC, laboratory services, communicable disease services, dental services for all ages, medical nutrition therapy, and diabetes counseling. The Macon County Public Health Center sees patients Monday – Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm in Franklin and sponsors special outreach clinics in Highlands and Nantahala. Macon County Public Health will file Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Tricare, Cresent, and certain Medicare replacements for its patients. To schedule an appointment for any of the services listed above, please call 349-2081. To learn more about these and other public health services, visit http://www.maconnc.org/health-department.html.
Your connection to current events at the Macon County Public Health Center in North Carolina
