UPDATE: PUNA COMM MED CTR

[Domizio]

ALOHA!
A week ago, PCMC saw it's 1000th individual walk through its doors! In the past two weeks, we have seen over 100 clients per week for the very first time (this past week, we saw 117). This is about the "break even" level, financially speaking, we have been waiting for.

The grant we received from the County, through Council Woman Emily Naeole's Human Services Committee, is ready to supplement fees for the services we provide to folks without insurance. Now PCMC will be able to collect SOMEthing where before we used to collect nothing for those services. One more step in the sustainability of your walk-in clinic[] With a little luck, and a sustained cash flow, we will soon be open seven days.

From the same grant, there will soon be a supplement for purchasing meds for those clients who lack drug coverage. There will be a minimal charge for a prescription written in the clinic.

Last, the staff is pleased with how things are going. I think the community feels good about what we are doing, and how we are doing it.
Thanks for your support.
Dan

[David Shaw]

Aloha to you and PCMC: So good to hear some GOOD news about medical care for once!
Keeping your finances in order and getting proper reimbursements from appropriate agencies will also help sustainability in the long run.
All, keep referring people in need to PCMC...


-dwajs

[JerryCarr]

This member of the community feels extremely good about what you folks are doing. As word spreads about the quality of care, hopefully more persons with either insurance or the means to pay will use your services and enhance your bottom line. It might help (pardon me if this has already been done) to publicize the insurance plans PCMC is able to accept.

Wishing you continued success,
Jerry

[Domizio]

Thanks for the kind words.
PCMC accepts ALL insurances, though some insurances will not reimburse for services provided in an Urgent Care facility. This, we find out later, means the client gets stuck with a bill. If we know this in advance, we try to keep the charges as small as possible.

PCMC is about to go through its first "independant audit" and has some really good people working very hard to get our financial documents in perfect order. We may not yet be completelt solvent, but we do know exactly where we are, and where we are headed.

Thanks again,
Dan

[Laughing_girl]

Do you give people who pay real hard cash upfront a discount ?

(for those underinsured or uninsured who do not qualify for any Quest programs).

[mdd7000]

Location?

[Guest]

About a month ago I was in need of some medical treatment, it was a Friday and a holiday weekend on top of it. I have two insurances Medicare and another and am required to go to the Pahoa Bay clinic for treatment. It was closed and my other choice was Hilo emergency or Doctor Dan’s place [PCMC] so I saw Dr. Dan, Best Damn move that I ever made.

I was in and out of there in less than forty five minutes and the visit included a small surgical procedure. I had a follow up visit two days later [on a Sunday] and that visit took less than fifteen minutes. Am I happy with this wonderful place here in Pahoa, YES, YES, YES. Carry on Doctor Dan and crew you guys are the Bom.

Suggestion to Punatic:

Before running all the way to Hilo for treatment on week ends because the Bay clinic is closed and you have some kind of insurance please at least call these good people and see if you can help each other. Doctor Dan, you are my new HERO.

The Lack

The Lack Toons

[PaulW]

Location is in the strip mall at the entrance to Pahoa, where the gas station and the Subway etc are. Opposite the internet cafe.

Haven't been there since the Grand Opening but I'm sure they're doing a great job!

[Domizio]

Aloha!
I am sorry to be taking so long to respond to questions and comments, but it has been busy, and I only take Tuesdays off.

With regard to payments; we now have, courtesy of our County Council, a grant in place which supplements payment by those who have no insurance. To boil it down; most people with no insurance who qualify for our sliding fee schedule of charges, pay only a $15 basic fee. We have calculated what an average insurance payment would be for the service, the client pays $15 (more if he/she can), and we go to the county grant for the balance.

As an example; if the charge is $100, the client pays $15, the insurance would pay, say $60 (they NEVER pay it all), we can now go the the fund to get $60-$15 = $45. Before the County grant, we used to "eat" the $45. We cannot survive that way, but, for the time being, we are keeping our promise to say yes to everyone we can.

People with no coverage for medications, can now get vouchers and pay $2.00 per prescription. The grant covers the balance.

Dan

[Dave Smith]

Dan, could you recap the hours you are open?