Aug 14

Aug 14 KCHC provides a wide range of services to everyone in the community

Videos by Jose Perez / Neuse News & Magic Mile Media

Since it opened its doors in 1994, the Kinston Community Health Center (KCHC) has served as a medical home for thousands of Lenoir County residents, but it still manages to fly under the radar.

Anna Kinsey, Director of Community Development and Patient Support Programs for the KCHC, said despite the range of services the center provides, she regularly encounters members of the community who are either unaware of the KCHC’s existence or of the services it can provide.

“This is something really spectacular, that the community has, that a lot of people still don’t even know about,” Kinsey said.

Along with a lack of awareness, Kinsey said, there are also some misconceptions about the KCHC that she has encountered. One of those misconceptions is that everyone who receives care is uninsured.

“We’re accessible, we don’t have any barriers for people to come here, but we see everybody. They might have commercial insurance, or they might be uninsured, but we see everyone,” Kinsey said.

The KCHC provides family medical and pediatric services, OB/GYN services, including 4-D ultrasounds, a full range of dental services for adults and children and behavioral health services.

All of those services are provided to anyone in need of them, with fees on a sliding scale based on income. In 2018, the KCHC served over 8,000 patients, nearly half of whom had incomes below the poverty level.

Kinsey said the KCHC can also help patients in other ways, including transportation to appointments and prescription assistance programs.

Another, subtler, way in which the KCHC serves the community is through an ongoing partnership with Lenoir County EMS to help reduce over-utilization of the UNC Lenoir Emergency Department, by getting the KCHC involved from the beginning, and eliminate many unnecessary trips to the ED, while still ensuring that patients get the care they need.

The KCHC is constantly seeking to expand its services, according to Kinsey. One recent expansion is the Behavioral Health Center, located at 107 S. Queen St. Additionally, a recent grant from the Duke Endowment allowed the KCHC to expand its pediatric dental services into Lenoir County Public Schools.

A goal for future expansion, Kinsey said, is providing even easier access to prescriptions, as well as providing radiology services and ophthalmology.

“We want this to be a one-stop-shop for our patients. A lot of people walk here, so when they come here, we don’t want them to have to go all over town to be seen,” Kinsey said.

Incorporating specialists into the KCHC is an important part of the future, Kinsey said, because for many of the KCHC’s patients, referrals to specialists mean an end to care, since they are unable to afford the copays. Keeping those patients in-house, Kinsey said, would ensure they get the care they need.

That expansion is dependent, though, on finding funding. Many of the current programs are funded through local grants, as well as state and federal grants. Without local support from the community, Kinsey said, the KCHC won’t be able to continue in its mission.

The KCHC is a 501(c)(3) organization, so donations are tax-deductible. There are also volunteer opportunities available in the health center, as well as the office, through advocacy and during events. To volunteer, visit https://kinstonhealth.org/volunteers/.