Chapter 4: Accessible Locations and Hours of Operation

• List of health center sites with the following information for each site:
  • Address,
  • Hours of operation, and
  • Services offered (for example, medical, oral health, behavioral health).
• Health Center Program GeoCare Navigator Map (if updated since last application submission to HRSA).
• Patient satisfaction surveys or other forms of patient input.
• Most recent needs assessment or related studies or resources.
   

The health center’s service site(s) are accessible to the patient population relative to where this population lives or works (for example, in areas immediately accessible to public housing for health centers targeting residents of public housing, or in shelters for health centers targeting homeless populations, or at migratory and seasonal agricultural worker housing for health centers targeting migratory and seasonal agricultural workers). Specifically, the health center considers the following factors to ensure the accessibility of its sites:

• Access barriers (for example, barriers resulting from the area's physical characteristics, residential patterns, or economic and social groupings); and
• Distance and time taken for patients to travel to or between service sites in order to access the health center’s full range of in-scope services.

Site Visit Team Methodology

• Review the Service Area Map.
• Review the needs assessments or related studies or resources.
• Review the status of any special medically underserved populations funding or designation.
• Interview the Project Director/CEO, other key management staff, and board members. Discuss how the health center considered patient access when selecting the location of the following:
  • Any site added to scope within the past 12 months.
  • If a site was not added to scope within the past 12 months, one to two sites in scope.

Site Visit Findings

1. Does the health center take the following factors, including any special medically underserved populations, into consideration in determining where to locate its sites:

   • 1.1 Patient access barriers, such as those resulting from the area's physical characteristics, residential patterns, or economic and social factors?

     Response is either: Yes or No

   • 1.2 Distance and time taken for patients to travel to or between service sites in order to access the health center’s full range of in-scope services? For example, if some in-scope services are located only at certain sites, the health center facilitates access to these services for the entire patient population.

     Response is either: Yes or No

   If No was selected for any of the above, an explanation is required.

The health center’s total number and scheduled hours of operation across its service sites are responsive to patient needs by facilitating the ability to schedule appointments and access the health center’s full range of services within the HRSA-approved scope of project¹ (for example, a health center service site might offer extended evening hours 3 days a week based on input or feedback from patients who cannot miss work for appointments during normal business hours).

Site Visit Team Methodology

• Review the list of health center sites for hours of operation.
• Review the needs assessment or related studies or resources.
• Review the patient satisfaction surveys or other forms of patient input.
• Note: The health center may use the same patient satisfaction/input documentation for the review of Accessible Locations and Hours of Operation and Quality Improvement/Assurance.
• Interview the Project Director/CEO, other key management staff, and board members. Ask for one to two examples of how hours of operation are responsive to patient need.

Site Visit Findings

2. Has the health center taken patient needs into consideration in setting the hours of operation of its sites? For example, based on available health center resources, the hours of operation are aligned with the most requested appointment times or the most in-demand services.

   Response is either: Yes or No

   If No, an explanation is required.

The health center accurately records the sites in its HRSA-approved scope of project² on its Form 5B: Service Sites.

Site Visit Team Methodology

• Review the list of health center sites and compare to the health center’s Form 5B.
• Interview the Project Director/CEO or other key management staff about Form 5B accuracy.
• Interview the Project Director/CEO or other key management staff about sites or activities in carceral settings.

Note: The focus of this portion of the site visit is to validate the active service sites of the health center.
 

Site Visit Findings

3. Does the health center need to add or remove any sites on its Form 5B?

   Note:  For more information about recording Health Center Program sites on Form 5B: Service Sites, refer to Scope of Project Resources.

   Response is either: Yes or No

4. IF YES: Has the health center submitted any Change in Scope requests to HRSA to correct Form 5B?

   Response is either: Yes or No

   If Yes OR No, specify the inconsistencies observed and whether the relevant Change in Scope requests have been submitted to HRSA to correct Form 5B.

5. Does the health center have any sites (including any mobile sites) on Form 5B or perform any activities, as documented on Form 5C, that are located in a carceral setting?

   Note: For more information about Transitional Care in Carceral Settings, refer to Scope of Project Resources.

   Response is either: Yes or No

   If Yes, an explanation is required, including specifying which site or sites on Form 5B are inside the carceral setting or operate on the grounds of a carceral setting (for example, in the parking lot). Also, specify any 5C activities that take place inside or on the grounds of the carceral setting.