Featured
|
Rural Health Center Directory
Find | Compare | Rate
Rural Health Centers in your area
|
How Do You Choose the Best Rural Health Clinic? |
 |
The Rural Health Clinic Services Act ( Public Law 95-210) was created in 1977. Rural Health Centers receive this designation from the Health Resources and Services Administration if they are determined to be in a non-urban area which has a shortage of primary care medical services. The purpose of a Rural Health Center is to provide primary care services in underserved rural areas. |
RHCs typically provide physician services, onsite laboratory testing, and have arrangements with hospitals to furnish services not available at the RHC. Patients who visit an RHC may see a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Sometimes RHC centers many offer home visits by a registered professional to the homebound
Services and Choosing a Rural Health Center is a decision that can affect your health and the rest of your life. Unfortunately most people don’t even consider their options and simply use whichever Rural Health Center is closest. This is probably because with over 3,700 Rural Health Centers nationwide, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. The key is to research your choices so you find a Rural Health Center that fits your needs and provides quality care.
Below are some factors to consider when selecting a rural health clinic:
|
1. Location
With 3,700 Rural Health Clinics across the nation, one may be closer than you think. You can obtain a list of
Rural Health Centers in a specific area
by using our Find a Rural Health Center tool. Just enter a zip code in the
tool and you are given a list of Rural Health Centers and the distance in miles from the
zip code. If you use our advanced search, you can narrow down the list by providing
a radius limit.
|
|
2. QualityQuality is often overlooked but extremely important. WhereToFindCare.com is the only place that gives you a quality score to assist you in choosing a rural health care provider: the WTFC Quality Score.
|
|
Quality data from user surveys are obtained in real-time from people who have been experience with a Rural Health Center and have submitted a review on WhereToFindCare.com. The WTFC Quality Score is the percentage of people who rated the Rural Health Center on WhereToFindCare.com and said they received quality care. This experience-based satisfaction score cannot be found elsewhere today except by word of mouth.
|
|
3. Recommendations |
 |
Word of mouth recommendations are very important. Recommendations can tell us whether we can get along with providers on a personal level. Ask friends, family, and other associates if they have had experiences with the Rural Health Centers on your list. You can also use WhereToFindCare.com to find word of mouth recommendations.
|
We ask patients, visitors, and caregivers to rate providers by taking a short survey. You can read other people’s experience by going to a provider’s page on WhereToFindCare.com and clicking on the Survey Results tab. There you see how others answered survey questions, and any comments made about the provider. Also look for CareStars™ recognition. People may have left comments on WhereToFindCare.com about exceptional caregivers at each Rural Health Center. CareStars™ comments give you a sense that the Rural Health Center employs caring individuals that will provide the service you need. And once you selected a Rural Health Center, please revisit WhereToFindCare.com and share your experience by rating your provider. Your recommendation will help others make their decision.
|
4. Consider What Each Rural Health Center Offers
Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you should consider all the other things each facility has to offer. In your search results, click on the name of a Rural Health Center to see more information such as photos, video tours, amenities, description of available services, insurance accepted, contact information, beds, and much more.
Some providers have contact forms on their provider page so it may be possible contact them or request a tour right on WhereToFindCare.com. When visiting the provider, please be sure to mention you saw them on WhereToFindCare.com! |
Information on WheretoFindCare.com is for informational purposes only. See the disclaimer on the Terms of Service page. |
|
WhereToFindCare.com was developed by independent health care analysts to make choosing a health care provider easier.
Copyright © 2008-2009 WhereToFindCare.com. All rights reserved.
|
|