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An invitation from Community Health Center of the Berkshires
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An invitation from Community Health Center of the Berkshires
By Linda Small
The Community Health Center of the Berkshires welcomes people of all ages to its modern facility on the fourth floor of Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, but it reserves a special welcome for Berkshire senior citizens. We particularly want to see those elders who, for a variety of reasons, have not visited a health care provider for some time. It is our goal to keep everyone healthy through the careful provision of health care services without regard to income.
If you have postponed a visit to the doctor because you were unable to pay for the visit and felt your health was good, we would love to start you on a schedule of preventive health care visits to keep your good health. We can also assist you with paying for the visit through our sliding fee scale and other programs.
There are many reasons people put off going to the doctor. Some for seeing one or another of our providers when she makes your appointment.
At the Health Center, we will insure that all the financial arrangements for your care are handled quietly and privately by our staff. As a community health center, we have access to several programs that are not available to private physicians nor other health providers for meeting the costs of your care. Additionally, the staff of the Health Center is noted for their supportive assistance to each client coming for a visit. Our staff is constantly reviewing their procedures to try to make patient comfort their top priority. Spanish language translation is also available for those who need it.
We will also help you manage your prescription drug benefits if you cannot afford the medications the physician may want you to take.
The Community Health Center of the Berkshires is a very new program for the region and we are looking forward to growing larger and adding more important services. We are based at Fairview Hospital and are able to assist our patients with scheduling appointments they may need with the hospital’s laboratory and radiology services.
Many seniors worry about a host of issues related to staying in good health. How long can I live alone? Who is there to help me? My children are far away and I don’t want to rely on them. Again, we recognize these concerns and our care coordination team is able to work with all the other providers in the communities we serve to help you develop the best possible plan for remaining independent. The Health Center staff works collaboratively with Elder Services of Berkshire County, with the Southern Berkshire Elderly Transportation Service, and with many other human services to solve each individual’s particular concerns and questions.
We invite you to call us and let us work to keep you well.
Linda Small is the Executive Director of the Community Health Center of the Berkshires.