|
Primary care promotes small business and generates local jobs
The building and operation of primary care facilities catalyzes economic development in low income communities, producing quality permanent jobs available to community residents at all levels of skill and educational achievement. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the nation's 1,100 health centers provide 143,000 jobs and generate $12.6 billion annually in some of the country's most economically deprived neighborhoods.
To best serve their communities, health centers prefer to hire locally so that staff know and reflect the language and culture of their customer base. Thus primary care job creation truly benefits the low-income communities where the health centers are located.
Primary care preserves productivity and contains healthcare costs
Over half of all current personal bankruptcies among families nationwide are attributed to costly medical bills; this rate is much higher among low-income working families. Chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma account for 75% of healthcare spending, and greatly compromise workforce productivity. One in three low-income adults experience activity limitations due to chronic illness compared to one in ten higher income adults. In addition, chronic illness adds the burden of care-giving and stress to other family members.
Primary care is one of the best ways to improve long-term health. Increased access to preventative services has been shown to reduce the incidence of chronic and costly diseases by engaging patients in preventative care programs and managing conditions before they become serious. The result is that areas with a higher number of primary care providers see lower mortality rates.
There is a direct relationship between primary care physicians supply and health outcomes; specifically there is a decline in mortality from cancer, stroke, and heart disease, and in infant mortality rates. Uninsured people living close to a community health center are less likely to postpone or delay seeking needed care, and less likely to have visited an emergency room, compared to other uninsured persons.
PCDC's Impact
Since 1993, PCDC has made a substantial economic impact in New York State. PCDC invests in facilities that are located in economically distressed communities, where family income is below 60% of the statewide median; unemployment exceeds 1.5 times the national average; and/or the poverty rate exceeded 30%. Our services:
Provide access to capital. We have invested a total of $260 million in 91 health center projects throughout New York State by providing financing tools and technical assistance for a range of capital projects.
Create jobs. Our projects have generated more than 2,300 permanent jobs (4,600 with secondary impact) and more than 1,300 construction jobs.
Improve Space. We have built or renovated 655,000 square feet of space, increasing primary care capacity and allowing providers to see more patients in state-of-the-art facilities.
Increase Capacity. Our projects have resulted in an additional 1.75 million medical visits annually for 595,000 additional patients.
|
