Community Health Centers Tackle Rising Demands and Expectations

Originally published by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), 2007.

Community Health Centers Face Rising Demands and Growing Expectations

Community health centers were facing a dual challenge: rising demand for services from growing numbers of uninsured and underinsured patients, combined with expanding expectations from policy makers and funders about the range and quality of services they should provide, according to HSC research. Federally qualified health centers had experienced significant growth in federal funding and patient volume, but the expansion brought new pressures.

Health centers were being asked to serve not only as primary care providers for vulnerable populations but also as anchors of the health care safety net, offering an expanding array of services including behavioral health, dental care, and chronic disease management. Recruiting and retaining physicians and other clinical staff was a persistent challenge, as health centers competed for talent with better-resourced private practices and hospital systems. Despite these pressures, community health centers remained a critical component of the health care safety net, providing accessible, affordable primary care to millions of Americans who would otherwise have limited or no access to regular medical services.

Sources and Further Reading

Center for Studying Health System Change, "Community Health Centers Tackle Rising Demands and Expectations" (2007).