CareNet Member Centers

"An Affordable Health Care Choice"

Health Choice Network d.b.a. Care Net is an organization created by Community Health Centers for the purpose of delegating essential business services that can be more efficiently or effectively operated jointly. These Community Health Centers, which govern the Network, are community-based, consumer-governed corporations that operate in areas of high medical need. The delegation of business functions to the Network provides economies of scale that enable Centers to operate at a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness with the same initial investment they would make as a single Center, or enables them to afford technologies and systems they could not afford to purchase singly. As a result, the Centers can serve more patients, offer more services, and enhance the level of care they provide to improve health outcomes.

Care Net is a discount health program created to address the health care needs of the increasing numbers of working uninsured and underinsured. This population includes individuals and their family members who cannot afford regular health insurance for various reasons including income, health status, age, migratory and residency status.

Community health centers provide comprehensive primary care, including family, pediatric, maternal and infant care, internal medicine, dental and vision care, radiology, pharmacy and lab services are also available for patients to access. Behavioral health and substance abuse programs are also available. Health Choice Network's network of member Centers also implement a wide range of health promotion and disease prevention initiatives that provide outreach, screening, case management and education services for chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, depression, hypertension and asthma . Through their wide range of health care services, community health centers can effectively address the issue of health disparities that often exist in communities where "mainstream" health care is not available or accessible.

Center members have realized significant value in Network membership, including access to a state-of-the-art information system, IS leadership, customized training and support; strong financial leadership and financial systems; higher collections per visit through centralized billing, increased participation in community-based disease management programs and improvement in clinical outcomes through electronic health and oral health records.
Health Choice Network has grown to include 10 member organizations in Florida , which operate a total of 72 primary care and 16 behavioral health sites throughout the state. Outside Florida , membership includes the New Mexico Health Network and the Utah Health Network. Together, Network members provided care for more than 330,000 patients in 2003. Four out of five patients are below the 200 percent poverty level.

While the Network is a separate corporation, maintains its own staff and operates functions that are delegated by the community health centers, its governing board of directors is comprised of the chief executive officers or executive directors of its member Centers.

With a mission to serve the underserved and those who lack access to care, community health centers are creative, dynamic community institutions and strong corporate citizens, contributing to the health and the economies of the areas they serve.