Charity Care for the Uninsured - Essay Example

"Charity Care for the Uninsured" is a worthy example of a paper on the health system.
Access to medical care is very important and there is a need for the provision of this service for all. However, it is not affordable to all that require it and thus the need for charity to help in subsidizing the costs. Therefore, this paper seeks to explain how the Hispanic community, who are mostly uninsured people but are accessible to charity care help from their churches and some clinics,  the importance of sticking to one primary physical doctor, location, and time to find them. It further endeavors to expound important issues such as the importance of primary care, how to prepare for a doctor’s appointment, and what it takes to stay healthy. 

In a broad sense, charity care is a fund set up at the hospital level to help needy families or individuals without insurance in paying the hospital bills (Brummet, 2000). Therefore, charity care is not insurance as per the perception of many. Charity care is only applicable to those who have hospital bills to pay. It only covers hospital services and dos not include miscellaneous services such as; seeing a doctor, transportation, and doctor’s services. Therefore it is prudent to seek guidance before seeking charity care. Moreover, to access the fund, it is a requirement to make an application for charity care before going to the clinic. The following documents are a must in order to access the fund; a form of identification which can be an identification card, a driver’s license, a passport, or a birth certificate. Another important document is proof of residence; this must contain clear names and address of the applicant. Proof of a bank account through documents such as a bank statement and lastly, proof of income since the fund is dependent on family income.

Access to primary care is absolutely important because it provides access to comprehensive community-based health care and this includes diagnosis, treatment, and management of chronic diseases (Heijst, 2008). Also through this initiative, people's access to the service is possible at different health centers proximal to the family. Some of the clinics that are available in Sussex County are as follows;

 North medical center-adult medical clinic

175, High Streets

This hospital offers vaccination and information on staying healthy. Appointments are given three times a week; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Newton Community Health Centre

238 Spring Streets

This hospital offers dental and pediatric dental treatment for adults. The center operates two days a week; Tuesday and Thursday and an appointment to see a doctor is done on arrival.

In preparation to see the doctor, it is important that the application made is accepted first by the center.  If it is a first-time visit to the clinic, more information regarding the disease and patient history is crucial. It may involve making a list of medications taken including dosage and frequency of prescriptions. During an appointment, a patient should disclose the symptoms and the type of medication currently undertaken. It is vital to follow the doctor’s instructions, prescriptions, and frequently asked questions. In the final stage, it is important to reach an agreement about the recommended treatment plan with the primary doctor while taking note of a few points in response to questions such as, what the main problem is, what is required to be done, and the importance of doing this.

In conclusion, therefore, staying healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially functioning effectively requires several interventions as discussed above. Physical fitness involves the condition at which your body is physically fit. Individual part plays a big role in keeping healthy. Having social ties not only improves cognitive well being but also improves psychological health. Sports and physical activities are the key providers in the growth of staying healthy and fit.