Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


JonesKorenElizabeth2006 mt.pdf (1.66 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

An analysis of individuals seeking care at the Physicians Free Clinic

Jones, Koren Elizabeth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407149099

Abstract Details

2006, Master of Public Health, Ohio State University, Public Health.
The Physicians Free Clinic (PFC) in Columbus, Ohio, is a philanthropically funded organization that provides free, episodic healthcare to individuals within the community who do not have health insurance. In recent years, the clinic has been experiencing a demand in excess of its capacity and no longer has the resources to provide primary care to all visitors seeking care. The number of patients seen at PFC depends on the number of volunteer physicians on a specific evening the clinic is open. When this limit is reached, PFC redirects remaining individuals seeking care to other free clinics in Columbus. Little information is known about the visitors seeking care who are turned away from PFC. This study was developed to learn more about this population. The purpose of this study was to (1) count the number of individuals seeking care who were turned away from PFC each evening the clinic was open; and (2) survey visitors to determine if differences existed between individuals seeking care who were turned away from PFC and those who were able to receive care. Comparisons between these groups were made of the following factors: (1) previous health insurance status; (2) purpose of the clinic visit; (3) urgency status classification; (4) arrival time; (5) history of previous attendance at PFC; (6) future plans for care; and (7) survey language. Visitors seeking care who attended PFC each Monday evening the clinic was open from October 3rd, 2005 thru January 30th 2006 were surveyed. A logistic regression model was built to determine the odds of an individual seeking care being seen based on urgency status classification (USC) and the following variables: (1) previous health insurance status; (2) purpose of the clinic visit; (3) arrival time; (4) history of previous attendance at PFC; (5) future plans for care; and (6) survey language. The main findings of the study were: (1) PFC was indeed turning away individuals seeking care; (2) urgent and semi-urgent cases were among those turned away; (3) the proportion of urgent, semi-urgent and non-urgent cases that were seen were similar; and (4) early arrival time was the only significant predictor of being seen at PFC. The results of this analysis indicated that PFC was not treating all of the most urgent cases. However, PFC’s intake system was not based on a system of triage. Although the majority of individuals who were turned away had alternative options for care, timely care was not readily available at PFC.
Electra Paskett (Advisor)
Richard Love (Committee Member)
56 p.
Public Health

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Jones, K. E. (2006). An analysis of individuals seeking care at the Physicians Free Clinic [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407149099

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jones, Koren. An analysis of individuals seeking care at the Physicians Free Clinic. 2006. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407149099.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jones, Koren. "An analysis of individuals seeking care at the Physicians Free Clinic." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407149099

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1407149099
135
© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.