Physican Vacations & New Doctors
Summer is vacation time. Please remember to contact the Council office with the name of the back-up physician with whom you have made arrangements to see your Access to Care patients. The back-up physician must be participating in the Access to Care program. All doctors recive a list of other contracted physicians. If your patients are referred to a non-participating physician any prescriptions written for those patients will not be honored. The patient would have to pay the full price. ONLY PRESCRIPTIONS WRITTEN BY AN ACCESS TO CARE DOCTOR WILL BE COVERED UNDER THE PROGRAM. Also, please advise the administrative office at 708-531-0680 if a new doctor has joined your practice and will be seeing Access to Care patients. The program must have each doctor on file in order for prescriptions to be processed through the Walgreens system. Simply by notifying the office of your back-up doctor or new physicians that have joined your practice will avoid unnecessary problems for your patients.

Access to Care needs new primary care physicians to serve patients, particulary in the southwest and northwest suburbs. Please tell your colleagues that this is an easy way to "give back" to the communities in which they practice. If you would be willing to serve as a back-up physician please contact the administrative office.

Thank you for your help with Media Contacts
Access to Care is frequently contacted by the media when doing a feature about the "uninsured". Reporters often want to speak to participating physicians. Access to Care doctors have told media sources about their experience with the program. Access to Care is very grateful to those doctors who have already helped with media interviews. Reporters do their best to accomodate physician schedules so as not to disrupt patient care. If you would be willing to speak on behalf of Access to Care, please call Kate Barnickel at the administrative office.

Physician participation is a key element in the success of the program. The contributions of Access to Care doctors has been conservatively estimated by the Council's auditors to be valued at $3 million annually.

Thank you for all you do for Access to Care patients and for your cooperation.

2006 Client Survey Results
In October 2006, the Suburban Primary Health Care Council sent surveys to a random selection of 3000 head of household clients in the Access to Care program. Surveys are conducted every five years to determine any changes in client opinions. The survey dealt with topics such as medical care prior to membership in Access to Care and satisfaction level with the program.

Many clients commented on the excellent care received from the medical professionals. "...to have a doctor with such good bedside manners that really cares and wants to help his
patients is a blessing."

These patients would not be able to afford even basic health care without the generosity of the Access to Care doctors. On behalf of Access to Care patients, the Board of Directors of the Suburban Primary Health Care Council extends its deepest gratitude to you and your staff.

Before joining Access to Care only 48% of the survey respondents perceived their health to be good or excellent. After joining the program that percentage rose to 73%. This represents a 50% improvement in self-perceived health status after becoming a client of Access to Care.

In the 12 months prior to membership, 21% of Access to Care clients had received NO medical care. The local emergency room was used by 12% of ATC patients and Stroger or Oak Forest Hospital by 13%, with the remainder utilizing the services of a private physician or neighborhood clinic. Many sought advice from pharmacists or treated themseves with holistic
health care.

In the 12 months before joining ATC, 87% of respondents indicated they either never had or it has been at least 2 years since they had private insurance. Only 10% indicated they were offered insurance through their employer and of those 95% did not take it as it was too costly.

Emergency room visits were reported by only 23% of respondents. There was a dramatic increase since the 2001 survey in the number of clients that went to the ER because their Access to Care doctor told them to go. Many went as the result of an accident. The conclusion to be drawn is that ATC patients are increasingly less likely
to go the ER for medical conditions that can be treated in a doctor's office.

A total of nearly 40% of ATC clients were diagnosed with a chronic illness that would likely have gone undiagnosed without the program. Diabetes and hypertension are again the
most frequent diagnoses.

Prescription medication is being taken on an ongoing or daily basis by 65% of respondents. These patients would have difficulty obtaining the necessary medications without Access to Care.

The clients indicated that the most important service the program offers is affordable visits to their physician. This fact alone, clearly indicates the need for your generous participation in the Access to Care program.

An overwhelming 90% responded that the program has made a difference in their life. Extremely Satisfied or Satisfied was indicated by 86% of respondents in relation to their experience with Access to Care. This would not be attainable without the valuable services provided by the participating Access to Care physicians.

Thank You.