“Our goal is to provide care that
other physician groups in Western New York, summary reports are faxed to these physicians (including results of labs, X-rays, diagnosis and treatment) by 10 am of the following business day.
Meeting a Community’s Needs Originally conceived as an emergency room diversion program for urgent care of Lifetime Health patients, the executive team at Lifetime Health saw the AfterHours program as an opportunity to meet several
has an impact on medical, social and economic problems faced by patients living in these underserved areas. To do anything less is unthinkable.”
pressing community needs. With infant mortality rates in the urban Buffalo region-
Timothy J. Finan President, Lifetime Health
close to those of third world countries and
situated in the heart of the Buffalo Niagara
uninsured patients (especially younger
primary care physician ratios of approxi-
Medical Corridor and provides care for a
patients in their 20s). In both locations,
mately one to 30,000, Dr. Kim saw the
largely African-American and Hispanic
however, there were common problems.
AfterHours program as a means by which
population in an urban setting. In contrast,
Both regions had patients that were likely to
patients could be linked with physicians for
the Lifetime Health West Seneca Center,
have more comorbid diseases, only seeking
regular medical care.
from which the AfterHours program
care later in their disease states. And, for
“There is a real failing in the current med-
provides care in the southern Buffalo
several reasons, these patients had more
ical system when patients may surface once
region, has predominantly a post-industrial
difficulty in finding a regular primary
every several months for their emergency
Eastern European population. Many of the
care physician.
room visit,” comments Dr. Kim. “In doing
patients seen at the downtown Buffalo
so, these patients are often seen, treated and
program have major transportation needs,
sent back to their communities without ever
often severely limiting their access to care.
As one of many divisions at Lifetime
being linked to a regular physician.” In con-
In contrast, patients residing in the southern
Health, Dr. Kim saw that the AfterHours
trast, when patients are checked in through
region of Buffalo (i.e. the “southtowns”)
program could be an opportunity to meet
the AfterHours program, the first piece of
have more extensive transportation and
several needs at once. Patients with no
information gathered from them is who
family resources, but also struggle with
primary care physician are linked to a
their primary care physician is. As a routine
issues of being uninsured and/or financially
regular physician (at a location convenient
procedure, patients without an existing pri-
disadvantaged.
for the patient) through the daytime
Linking Services
mary care physician (especially children) do
Both regions presented Dr. Kim and
primary care divisions of Lifetime Health.
not leave without being linked to a Lifetime
the AfterHours program with markedly
For those patients needing close medical
Health physician and scheduled follow-
different challenges. Downtown Buffalo was
follow-up, they are given a daytime appoint-
up—an actual appointment.
medically underserved, and had a large
ment, frequently within 12 to 24 hours.
Two of the three AfterHours sites are in
proportion of Medicaid patients who
According to Dr. Kim, this particular
ethnically diverse areas that face distinctly
frequently could not find a primary care
feature of the program took coordination
different challenges. The Lifetime Health
physician willing to accept Medicaid. The
and cooperation from both primary care
Mosher Center, where the downtown
southern Buffalo region, in contrast, had a
and urgent-care providers. “We call it
Buffalo AfterHours program operates, is
primarily Caucasian population with many
continued page 22 March/April 2004 Profiles in Diversity Journal
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