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2 Kagman clinic officials cite new healthcare model
The medical director of the Kagman Community Health Center, Dr. Katherine Elstun, talked about the financial and health benefits of the new model program in use at the clinic in a speech to members of the Rotary Club of Saipan yesterday.
“We see that our limit on health resources on island are really strained at times, with people not knowing our center is at Kagman or our work hours, so we’re trying to do a lot of community outreach to help with that. That way, we alleviate some pressure off of CHCC [Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.],” Elstun said.
Kagman center executive director Vince Castro introduced Elstun to Rotary members. Elstun talked about the center’s new model for healthcare called the Patient Centered Medical Home, an approach to healthcare that seeks solutions to medical issues such as overcrowding in the hospital.
“Long wait times and emergency room visits cost more money in comparison to a primary care doctor. If you visit one, it would be much less money than a service provided in the ER,” Elstun said. “For patients, all you have to do is show up. From our standpoint, we seek a healthcare that’s a lot more team-oriented and patient-driven,” Elstun said. “So we take into consideration patients’ health concerns, cultural preferences, language barriers, and financial barriers. Our clinic provides sliding fee scales for people who don’t have insurance. We also accept all Medicare and Medicaid but we work together as a healthcare team to make sure everyone’s health needs are fully met.”
