TLCCS Press/News
10/23/07
10/08/07
08/14/07
Schedule your appointment for back to school physicals and vaccinations at various TLCCS locations.
Call 410-651-1000 (Princess Anne) or 410-219-1100 (Salisbury) or 410-957-1852 (Pocomoke) and 410-546-2424 (Phillip Morris Drive -Sal OBGYN)..
UMES, WOR-WIC and Salisbury University students welcome.
Back to School Tips:http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/augschool.htm
07/19/07
About Community Heath Centers(CHCs) -- From USA Today Online.
03/22/07
Three Lower Counties
Community Services, Inc. (TLLCS)
and
Somerset County
Health Department
Have joined together to offer FREE HIV Testing the 3rd Monday of each Month
Place: Medical Building 12145 Elm Street Princess Anne MD
HIV Oraquick Testing Brochure
01/27/07
How healthy is America?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=healthus05.chapter.trend-tables
The Daily Times: Monday, January 15, 2007
Merger protects OB/GYN care
Doctors' defect from Shore thwarted
By Deborah Gates
Staff Writer
SALISBURY -- Last week's buyout of Eastern Shore Obstetrics & Gynecology by Three Lower Counties Community Services erases medical bills by several hundred dollars for Medicare patients and more than a half-million dollars for their physicians at the Phillip Morris Drive private practice that merged, effective Jan. 1, with the government-tied TLCCS, a top-ranking TLCCS official said last week.
Services, care and patient loads won't drop, though, as the team of six OB/GYN doctors, support personnel and their patients join the community health center serving Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, said Joan Robbins, executive director for TLCCS.
TLCCS is one of 1,000 community health centers in the United States recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center, or FQHC, a designation that means the federal government pays physician premiums for medical malpractice insurance, Robbins said.
For doctors at the Eastern Shore practice, it equals a $520,000 premium waiver for 2007, said Dr. Daniel Eisemann, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the practice.
FQHC status, which locates health centers in medically underserved regions, means Medicare patients aren't required to pay the annual $300 outpatient deductible that would be charged elsewhere, Robbins said.
The merger comes as medical malpractice insurance premiums skyrocket for physicians in general and obstetricians and gynecologists in particular, forcing some to decide to quit the specialty.
"Before we pay our staff, before we pay for health insurance, before we pay for new equipment, (a medical malpractice insurance premium) has to be taken care of," Eisemann said. "And since we get paid less in reimbursements by insurance companies now, the money we needed to stay afloat was rapidly depleting."
Robbins would not discuss terms of the buyout or salaries for the estimated 25 Eastern Shore OB/GYN physicians or staff members who as TLCCS employees continue to serve the same patients at the Phillip Morris Drive location.
"It is obvious to say the (acquisition) will be beneficial for everybody but mostly for patients," Robbins said. "We are making sure patients get served."
The acquisition brings to four the number of TLCCS community health locations throughout the Lower Shore. Other locations are in Princess Anne, the main campus, with dentistry, mental health, adult, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology medicine; and in Salisbury on Healthway Drive and in Pocomoke City, with similar services.
TLCCS last week also opened a pharmacy on the second floor of a new treatment center at the Princess Anne campus.
Robbins said an expected overall growth increase by at least 20,000 patient visits will not compromise patient care or volume at the Phillip Morris Drive location. In fact, leaving issues of medical malpractice premiums -- and malpractice litigation -- to the federal government, doctors can concentrate on patient care, similar to their counterparts in medical services for the military or veterans, she said.
In 2006, there were more than 80,000 TLCCS patient visits, a volume expected to top 100,000 this year, she said, attributing the increase to an influx of residents across the Lower Shore and expanded medical staff and services.
The projected increase is expected across the board and will not backlog services to obstetric or gynecology patients, she said.
Robbins also refutes a misconception that TLCCS, founded in 1994, serves only the poor or patients on a fixed income.
"This is not a free clinic; we take insurance, (but) if you make less than poverty, we base (fees) on an ability to pay," she said, adding that TLCCS serves one in four Lower Shore residents in poverty.
Nikki Lavigne, a patient at the Phillip Morris Drive location more than two years, called the merger "a great option" for more patients.
"I have no problems with it," Lavigne said. "I do not think my quality of care will be compromised."
The marriage between Eastern Shore OB/GYN and TLCCS comes after a four-year courtship between the medical facilities. Since 2002, Robbins had paid the obstetricians and gynecologists to treat patients on rotation at TLCCS centers in Salisbury and Princess Anne, she said.
"They were working with me part time at two sites. The partnership went so well we decided to do the merger," she said.
1/11/2007
Waiting Room Tops Patient Complaints
Most patients are satisfied with their doctors -- but there are complaints, particularly about time spent in the waiting room. Click here for more: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/131/117990.htm
1/2/2007
Business News from Daily Times Sunday Jan 7, 2007
Eastern Shore OB/GYN partners with TLCCS
SALISBURY -- Eastern Shore OB/GYN announced a new partnership with Three Lower Counties Community Services, which started Jan. 1. The partnership will provide affordable, quality prenatal, obstetric and gynecologic care to all women on Delmarva, regardless of income or health insurance.
"We take all insurance at all of our offices, and we offer a sliding fee for women with no health insurance," said Joan Robbins, executive director of TLCCS. "There is no longer any reason for any woman in this area to be without health care."
Current patients of Eastern Shore OB/GYN, located on Phillip Morris Drive, will see no change in services, according to obstetrician/ gynecologist Dr. Dan Eisemann. "We will provide the same level of care they've come to expect. But through TLCCS, we can now provide care to women in this community who once had few or no healthcare options."
TLCCS is a federally qualified health center, with offices located in Salisbury, Princess Anne and Pocomoke. Call 410-546-2424.
01/02/2007
Three Lower Counties Retail Pharmacy is now Open in Princess Anne
Three Lower Counties Community Services, Inc is proud to announce the opening of its retail pharmacy in Princess Anne, Maryland in addition to the existing Delmarva Pharmacy in Salisbury, Maryland. The same pharmacist team will help you and picking up your prescription at the pharmacy counter is fast and convenient. Please call the TLCCS Pharmacy located at 12145 Elm Street (2nd Floor) in Princess Anne at 410-651-5555 in Princess Anne and Delmarva Pharmacy located at 1324 Belmont Avenue Suite 101 in Salisbury, Maryland 21804 at 410-677-0561.
01/02/2007
Dental Hygiene: How to Care for Your Child's Teeth: http://familydoctor.org/227.xml
12/19/06
What is Primary Adult Care (PAC)? Visit the PAC website at http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/mma/pac/index.htm.
12/04/2006
Holidays the Healthy Way
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/spotlights/holiday_tips.htm
11/22/2006
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Prevention Program at TLCCS
Exchange your One Year Old"s Bottle with a Sippy- Cup starting Jan 2007
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a rapidly developing form of tooth decay that can be severe enough to cause pain, oro-facial infection, difficulty eating and poor nutrition, and subsequent health problems. Frequent and prolonged ingestion of sugar-rich liquids promotes ECC whether the source is pacification with breast, bottle, sippy-cup, honey-coated pacifier, or extremely frequent ingestion of sugar-based medications. Although ECC occurs across the population, limited access to dental care delays identification and treatment and results in more severe clinical presentations. Schedule your dental appointment when your child turns one (1) year of age. Call TLCCS dental at 410-651-5151.
9/17/06
Update on Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections From Fresh Spinach,Sept17, 2006
As of 1 PM (ET) September 17, 2006, Sunday, 109 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 19 states.
Among the ill persons, 55 (50%) were hospitalized, 16 (15%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. Eighty-one (74%) were female and 6 (6%) were children under 5 years old. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/091706.htm
9/15/06
CDC Health Alert
Multiple States Investigating a Large Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections
Public health officials in multiple states, with the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are investigating a large outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections involving 50 cases. Eight patients developed the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and one patient died. The outbreak is likely ongoing.Preliminary findings from case interviews indicate that pre-packaged spinach is the most likely source. The FDA advises that consumers not eat bagged fresh spinach at this time. www.cdc.gov
August 7, 2006
NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK IS AUGUST 6-12,2006
It is important that we deliver a strong message for America's Community Heath Centers during this Health Center Week . Community health centers are local, non-profit, community-owned health care providers serving low income and medically underserved communities. For nearly 40 years, the national network of health centers have provided high-quality, affordable primary care and preventive services, and often provide on-site dental, pharmaceutical, and mental health and substance abuse services. Also known as Federally-Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), they are located in areas where care is needed but scarce, and improve access to care for millions of Americans regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. There are 44 million uninsured people in this nation and another 36 million who, although they may have health insurance, live in areas without doctors and basic health services.
During this week we need to raise awareness of the needs that exist in the three lower Counties communities and the high costs of failure to provide primary care and preventive health. More people need to understand that ours is a tested and accountable model of health care that produced the markers to expanding access and providing the cost effective care that can improve health delivery. National Health Center Week is your chance to speak out for TLCCS, other National Heath Centers and the people and communities who rely on their services for healthy and productive lives. For further information go to:http://www.healthcenterweek.com/
The New TLCCS Adult-Pediatrics-OB/GYN-Mental Health facility in Princess Anne.
TLCCS FACT
TLCCS is a non-profit community health center that was established in 1994 to provide primary care medical and dental services to the tri-county area, but has since expanded to include mental health services and care to migrant and seasonal farmworker populations. The corporate offices are located at 12137 Elm Street in Princess Anne.TLCCS began rendering primary care services on July 5, 1994. TLCCS services were expanded to include mental health services in October of 1994. In 1999, TLCCS opened a pediatric office in Salisbury in order to increase ease of access to care to the pediatric population in Wicomico and the eastern portion of Worcester County. TLCCS increased its dental and adult medicine capacity in March of 2000 by doubling the square footage of its Elm Street facility in Princess Anne. In March 2003, Salisbury pediatric office was relocated to a larger facility to accommodate internal medicine and OB/GYN.
In CY05, TLCCS served over 13,396 individuals. The medical department, which includes internal medicine, pediatrics and OB/GYN of TLCCS, provided 63,446 visits to 11,990 patients. Dental services are growing due to the recent facility expansion. Over 9,952 visits were provided to over 5,306 patients in 2005. The mental health department has seen 1,277 clients providing 9,133 visits.A new facility was opened on July 17, 2006 in Princess Anne consolidating four Clinical disciplines under one roof. A new pharmacy will open in the Fall of 2006 in Princess Anne as well as a new Mental Heath Clinic in Salisbury in August 2006. The number of employees has increased from 26 to 150 over the past ten years.
August 1, 2006
Extreme
A Hot Tip...
These self-help measures are not a substitute for medical care but may help you recognize and respond promptly to warning signs of trouble. Your best defense against heat-related illness is prevention. Staying cool and making simple changes in your fluid intake, activities, and clothing during hot weather can help you remain safe and healthy. Go to http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat for further Information.
July 31, 2006
TLCCS is glad to announce the opening of a new Mental Heath site in the Salisbury Office beginning August 14, 2006. Scheduling of Mental Heath patients has begun for the Salisbury Office.
New TLCCS 340B Pharmacy in Princess Anne to September 1st 2006. TLCCS self pay or insured can also use Delmarva Pharmacy, a 340B participant, located at 1324 Belmont Avenue Suite 101 in Salisbury, Maryland 21804. Telephone # 410-677-0561. Delmarva Pharmacy has a home delivery and drive thru window services. This includes medicines prescribed by sub specialists on a referral basis. Please inform the pharmacist that you are TLCCS patient and was referred by a TLCCS provider. A description of 340B program can be found further at http://pssc.aphanet.org/about/whatisthe340b.htm.
Dental appointments are readily available from any site for TLCCS patients - Schedule a dental visit at any TLCCS check-out window.
June 27, 2006 is National HIV Testing Day:
CDC estimates that 180,000 to 280,000 people nationwide are HIV-positive but are unaware of their status. HIV counseling and testing enables people with HIV to take steps to protect their own health and that of their partners.The Sommerset Heath Department in Collaboration with TLCCS will conduct HIV Testing in Princess Anne on this day.http://www.hivtest.org/index.htm.
6/12/2006
FDA Approves Firstaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer :6.2 Million have HPV yearly:
FDA has approved Gardasil, the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital HPV. Nearly 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer appear annually, causing about 3,700 deaths. FDA calls the vaccine a "significant advance.http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01385.html
New Measures Aimed at Protection from Counterfeit Drugs:
As a defense against the growing problem of counterfeit drugs, FDA is taking steps to ensure that drug distributors document the chain of custody -- the so-called "pedigree" -- of products.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01386.html
5/10/2006
TLCCS to enroll in Migrant Clinicians Network(MCN). VISIT MCN
5/1/2006
FDA Approves First Generic Pravastatin a Cholestrol Lowering Drug
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01363.html
TLCCS is launching a Therapeutic Summer Program for Kids(TSPK); a six week program devoted to Children with ADHD and other Behavioral Disorders. Registration is on Wed June 14,2006 at 5:30-7:00pm at the Administrative Support Office (ASO)next to Curves in Princess Anne.For further Information Contact Sara Ward at sward@tlccs.org or refer to our BROCHURE.
3/3/2006
New 2006 Federal and TLCCS guidelelines are out and the implementation for these Guidelines will be for Dental March 1,2006 and Medicine March 15,2006.
2006 TLCCS/Federal Poverty Guideline: http://www.tlccs.org/PDF/FederalPovertyGuidelines.pdf
3/3/2006
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, is sponsoring screening event for familes with TYPE 1 Diabetes. The screening is part of the national program called Type 1 Diabetes trialNet. Patients can contact Mary Burr, CRNP at 410-328-5419 or their Joslin Provider for info. Full information is available also at: http://www.diabetestrialnet.org/about.html
3/01/2006
For help with New Medicare Plan go to: Medicare Heath Tips
New Medicare Prescription Coverage started January 1,2006. For information read the following announcements from
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services(CMS) and Maryland Pharmacy Program.
1. New Medicare coverage-Medicare Part D http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11125.pdf
2. Maryland Pharmacy Program :ANNOUNCEMENT(ENGLISH) http://dhmh.state.md.us/mma/mpap/pdf/partd_engl.pdf
3. Maryland Pharmacy Progrem ANNOUNCEMENT(Spanish) http://dhmh.state.md.us/mma/mpap/pdf/partd_span.pdf
4. Medicare & You (English): http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf
5. Medicare & You (Spanish): http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050_S.pdf
6. Medicare Prescription Drug Cost Calculator: http://www.medicare.gov/medicarereform/minitool.asp
3/1/2006
Our Pocomoke site is fully functional with Internists and Pediatricians at
305 Tenth Street
Pocomoke MD 21851
410-957-1852
