Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Supports Access to Primary Care in Oswego County
Contact: Jamie Leszczynski
When two organizations share the same vision for “keeping people healthy” remarkable things can happen through collaboration. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded Oswego Health with a $10,000 Health and Wellness Award to support Primary Care at Lakeview.
The Oswego Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Oswego Health, the largest nonprofit healthcare system in Oswego County, recently applied for funding to expand access to care, and was thrilled to be notified that Excellus BlueCross BlueShield selected the project.
Primary Care at Lakeview is a safety net clinic located within the Lobdell Center for Mental Health and Wellness at Lakeview. The clinic accepts every patient that seeks care, especially those that are overlooked, marginalized, and have severe, persistent mental illness. The clinic works with each patient to develop an individualized plan that is followed by all team members in an effort to provide the most comprehensive care and improve patient outcomes.
“Our Health and Wellness Awards demonstrate a corporate commitment to supporting local organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” said Mark Muthumbi, regional president, Excellus BCBS. “These awards complement our existing grants and sponsorships with agencies that work to enhance quality of life, including health equity and health care access in upstate New York.”
By regularly seeing a primary care provider, your health risk factors can be identified and controlled before they become problems. Your primary care provider encourages you to take charge of your health and is a trusted partner for that care.
Oswego Health currently has six primary care locations and employs 19 primary care providers throughout Oswego County. Before applying for the award, Oswego Health analyzed the community's need for healthcare services by conducting a community needs survey. Seventy-nine percent of the respondents reported that they travel outside the county for healthcare services. The access to health care indicator reports the percentage of adults aged 18 and older self-report that they do not have at least one person who they think of as their doctor or health care provider. This indicator is relevant because access to regular primary care is important to obtaining preventive healthcare and avoiding unnecessary emergency department visits.
“Patient-centered care is the core of our mission at Oswego Health,” stated Michael Backus, President & CEO for Oswego Health. “Whether that means recruiting top medical professionals to meet the healthcare needs of our community, or purchasing state-of-the-art technology, we are making these investments, thanks to generous donors such as Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, to ensure the highest level of quality healthcare needed is provided locally.”
Primary Care at Lakeview is now accepting new patients. For more information, call (315) 326-3536.