6 advantages of accessing healthcare beyond the clinic

The traditional healthcare model often requires a visit to a clinic or hospital to receive medical care. Today, however, Primary.Health is helping to rewrite that playbook as more people access healthcare beyond the clinic setting. For example, a 2021 study by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 37 percent percent of adults age 18 and older had accessed telehealth in the previous 12 months.

To keep pace with healthcare’s evolution, Primary.Health powers new models of care that better meet the needs of patients, improve health outcomes, and close care gaps.  Contact us to learn how we can tailor diagnostic testing, vaccinations, virtual care, and more to your community or population.

Here are some benefits of receiving healthcare outside of clinics:

One of the biggest advantages of receiving healthcare outside of clinics is convenience. Patients no longer need to take time off work or rearrange their schedules to visit a doctor. Instead, healthcare can be delivered in a variety of settings, including schools, community centers, pop-up clinics, and even workplaces. Increasingly, many services, including testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are possible at home.

Receiving healthcare outside of clinics also improves access to care for people who live in remote or underserved areas or who lack transportation. For example, mobile and pop-up clinics and telemedicine services can provide medical care to patients who face geographical or financial constraints.  On college campuses, offering testing and preventive services via vending machines makes it easy for students to access needed screenings 24/7.

Making healthcare more accessible reduces disparities and improves overall population health.

Healthcare delivered outside of clinics can be less expensive than traditional models of care. For example, a study of Outpatient Care Among Users and Nonusers of Direct-to-Patient Telehealth determined that average payment rates for telehealth visits are lower than for all other settings. Additionally, an Analysis of Annual Costs of Mobile Clinics in the Southern United States found that the cost per patient visit for all mobile clinic service types ranged from $65 to $529 and appears to be considerably less than those reported for fixed clinic services.

Bringing healthcare services directly to patients can engage them and encourage them to take a more active role in managing their health. When Primary.Health powered a COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinic close to San Francisco mass transit, 58 percent of participants stated they were able to get vaccinated faster there than they would have otherwise.

Healthcare delivered beyond the clinic can be an effective way to prevent illness and disease. Providing preventive care such as screenings, testing, and immunizations in community settings illuminates health issues earlier and minimizes their impact on patients’ lives. 

Primary.Health takes prevention one step further and offers at-home screenings for STIs, chronic disease management, and cancer, with telehealth follow-up available for some conditions.

When health services are readily available, people are more likely to take advantage of them, which positively impacts public health.

Primary.Health is committed to providing the right healthcare at the right time, via the modality that works best for your people. To learn more about our customized solutions, contact us, call 1-855-970-3223, or visit Primary.Health.