Author: Hurtt Family Health Clinic

The Importance of Preventive Health Care

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For many decades, health care in the United States and elsewhere focused on treating patients afflicted by certain diseases. This started to change in 1984 when the US Preventive Services Task Force was formed to provide health professionals with advice about prevention.

Preventive healthcare refers to measures taken to prevent diseases instead of treating them. It’s premised on the findings from various studies that many of the major causes of death or disability in the United States can be prevented. Preventive care can help you stay healthier for the rest of your life, and avoid the pain and costly treatments that often come with chronic and acute diseases in advanced stages.

Preventive health care is two-fold – primary prevention and secondary prevention

Primary prevention

Primary prevention refers to preventing or arresting chronic and acute diseases in their earliest stages through immunizations and a healthy lifestyle that includes:

  • A good diet
  • Regular exercise
  • Avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and too much sugar and salt
  • Getting enough sleep

Secondary prevention

Secondary prevention refers to detecting and treating a disease while it is still asymptomatic or at its earliest stages, when the body is most receptive to treatment. For early detection, it’s crucial to get regular check-ups, counseling and screening for various diseases, including:

  • Tests for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes
  • Cancer screenings, including colonoscopies and mammograms
  • Well-baby and well-child check-ups
  • Counseling on healthy diets, weight loss, quitting smoking and reducing drinking

Affordable preventive healthcare

Despite its many known benefits, many Americans still ignore the call to get preventive healthcare, mainly because of the high costs involved in laboratory tests and screenings, as well as doctor visits. Even with insurance, the costs of copayments and deductibles have discouraged many from investing in preventive care.

The Affordable Care Act has made preventive care affordable by requiring certain insurance companies and Medicaid to make a number of services available without any cost to the consumer.

Included in these services are:

Preventive healthcare for adults:

  • Alcohol misuse screening and counseling
  • Blood pressure screening
  • Cholesterol screening
  • Diabetes (Type 2) screening
  • Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
  • Immunization vaccines
  • Lung cancer screening
  • Tobacco use screening

Preventive healthcare for women:

  • Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling
  • Contraception
  • Expanded tobacco intervention and counseling
  • Urinary tract or other infection screening
  • Breast cancer generic test counseling and mammography screenings
  • Osteoporosis screenings
  • Well-woman visits for women over 65

Preventive healthcare for children:

  • Alcohol and drug use assessments for adolescents
  • Autism screening
  • Behavioral assessment
  • Hearing screening
  • Vision screening
  • Obesity screening and counseling
  • Immunization vaccines

See the full list of free services for adults and children and how you can obtain them at https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/preventive-care-benefits/.

Preventive healthcare at Hurtt Family Health Clinic

Those without insurance can receive affordable preventive healthcare from a community health center or low cost health clinic. In Orange County, Hurtt Family Health Clinic provides the homeless and low-income families with preventive care services, including:

  • Immunizations
  • Physical exams
  • Breast and cervical cancer screenings
  • Laboratory exams (except drug testing)

Hurtt Family Health Clinic is a Federally Qualified Health Center that receives funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services. As the center of Orange County Rescue Mission’s medical program, we also receive donations and volunteer services from the community.

To find out how we can help you obtain preventive healthcare, get in touch with us at our Contact Us page, or call our main line at (714) 247-0300.

Our mission: Provide the best, low cost health clinic services for underserved families

Posted on by Hurtt Family Health Clinic

Hurtt Family Health Clinic is a low cost medical clinic that provides safety net services to the underserved of Orange County. It anchors the medical program of Orange County Rescue Mission (OCRM), the largest faith-based, non-profit organization in the United States. We are able to provide Orange County free clinic and low-cost services through the following:

 

Federal funding

Hurtt Family Health Clinic is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that receives funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. FQHCs have to meet strict eligibility requirements, including providing a sliding fee scale and having a governing board that includes patients.

Community partnerships

Hurtt Family Health Clinic is the product of genuine community spirit. We work in partnership with individuals, families and companies, including pharmacies and health service providers, who generously donate funds, services, and other forms of assistance to the clinic. We were named after the Hurtt family, a long-time donor of OCRM. Volunteers regularly provide their free time and effort to help us achieve our goals.

 

Our history

Orange County Rescue Mission was founded in the 1960s by Tech Sergeant Lewis Whitehead, through donations from the community to support the homeless in Orange County. OCRM’s flagship transitional living facility, the Village of Hope in Tustin, has expanded over the years to a 5-acre complex that includes 150,000 square feet of shelter, 262 beds, and the 6,000-square-foot Hurtt Family Health Clinic.

Hurtt Family Health Clinic was established in 2000 as a mobile clinic, and had its first permanent site at the Village of Hope in 2008. The mobile clinic remains operational, reaching out to the homeless and low-income families in various parts of Orange County. 

Our locations

We have three permanent sites:

Tustin clinic

Village of Hope

1 Hope Drive

Tustin

(also the location of the original OCRM campus)

Santa Ana clinic

1100 B. North Tustin Avenue, Suite A

Santa Ana

Anaheim clinic

947 S. Anaheim Boulevard

Aneheim

In addition to these, we also have a medical mobile clinic that goes around various parts of the county for medical programs. We also hold regular clinics every Thursday (except on a fifth Thursday of a month) at the Civic Center parking lot at the corner of N. Ross and Santa Ana Boulevard.

 

Our services

We provide low-cost and free medical, dental and pharmacy services. Our medical services encompass the following:

  • General medicine and primary care, including pediatric care and OC urgent care
  • Acute and chronic care
  • Health screenings for children and adults
  • Cancer screenings
  • Adult immunizations
  • Child immunizations
  • Laboratory and pharmacy services on site
  • Health education

Our dental services include:

  • Dental examinations
  • Fillings
  • Extractions
  • Oral hygiene
  • Dental x-rays
  • Root canals
  • Crowns and dentures
  • Oral health education

Our pharmacy services include:

  • Providing certain medications free-of-charge
  • Providing up to 75% discount at various local and national pharmacies through our free discount card
  • Free assistance in completing applications for Prescription Assistance Programs

Get in touch with Hurtt Family Clinic at our Contact Us page, or call our main line at (714) 247-0300.

Tattoo Removal Services

Posted on by Hurtt Family Health Clinic

A tattoo can have significant and long-lasting value to an individual – but it can also be just a passing fancy. About 25% of Americans have tattoos, and of these, around half will eventually want their tattoos removed.

In the past, tattoo removal was a riskier process, with a higher prevalence of infection, scarring and other side effects. But with the introduction of laser technology, the procedure has become much safer and easier, with minimal side effects.

Hurtt Family Health Clinic offers laser tattoo removal Orange County residents will find highly affordable.

  • Our tattoo removal rate is $75 per session, size can be up to 8.5 x 11 inches (approximate size of piece of standard printer paper)
  • Most tattoos can be removed in 5 to 15 sessions
  • You will be attended to by clinicians who are certified laser removal specialists
  • We use Astanza “Duality” laser, a highly reliable technology that has been proven to remove tattoos faster and with better results

 

How laser tattoo removal works

It’s important to note that some limitations may be expected from the laser tattoo removal process. It may not be possible to remove the entire tattoo – some colors could lighten but still be visible to a certain degree.

Lasers work by destroying the cells with the tattoo pigments, leaving the rest of the skin and other tissues unharmed. This results in little to no scarring and side effects, unlike other tattoo removal techniques like dermabrasion or excision. In fact, a laser procedure can help repair or minimize skin damage caused by previous tattoo removals using other techniques.

Different colors react in different ways to light wavelengths, so several lasers may be used in removing an entire tattoo. Black, blue and green are known to be more easily removed by laser compared to other colors. Yellow, purple and turquoise, as well as fluorescent pigments, are the most difficult to remove and may require several sessions.

In addition to the size and colors of your tattoo, other factors that can determine the needed number of sessions are:

  • Age – Older tattoos generally fade more easily
  • Who did the tattoo – Tattoos done by amateurs are often easier to remove than those done by professionals
  • Part of the body – Tattoos on certain parts of the body – like the lower parts of the legs or arms – are typically more difficult to remove

 

Possible side effects

While laser tattoo removal is generally safe for everyone, there are still some risks of side effects, including:

  • Infection on the tattoo removal site
  • Permanent scarring or skin indentation
  • Hypopigmentation (treated skin is lighter in color) or hyperpigmentation (treated skin is darker in color)
  • Darkening of cosmetic tattoos, such as eyebrows, lip liner and eye liner

Allergy is also a potential side effect. However, before the removal process starts, some tests may be run to determine your skin’s reaction to the laser.

 

What to expect during the procedure

Laser tattoo removal is highly tolerated by most patients, who have described the sensation as similar to grease spatter or the snapping of a rubber band on the skin. Anesthesia is generally not necessary, but may be used if you have lower pain tolerance or if the tattoo is located on a more sensitive part of the body.

After the treatment, the treated area will be soothed by an ice pack. Topical antibiotic may also be prescribed to prevent infections. To know more about the procedure, call Hurtt Family Clinic for an appointment at (714) 247-0300.

What are the benefits of being a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)?

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A Federally Qualified Health Center or FQHC clinic serves as a safety net for underserved, uninsured, and homeless individuals and families in the US. As community-driven and non-profit healthcare providers, FQHC clinics are dedicated to serving communities with limited access to medical care, regardless of their ability to pay.

 

3 different types of FQHC clinics:

Health centers (HCs) are nonprofit public or private organizations that are funded by the Section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. It caters to medically underserved community members including seasonal farm workers and migrants.

FQHC Look-Alikes or FQHCLAs are health centers that meet Health Center Program requirements but are not qualified to receive federal award or grant funding.

FQHC clinics are outpatient, low-cost clinics that receive grant funding under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. These clinics have specific reimbursement systems under Medicaid and Medicare.

For a health center to qualify for federal support, it must meet the following standards:

  • Provide services to everyone in their community, regardless of their ability to pay. These services include preventive health services, dental and mental health care, and even transportation services.
  • Develop a sliding fee program
  • Be a public or a nonprofit organization
  • Be community based
  • Have a board of directors composed mainly of their patients
  • Serve a medically underserved community or area
  • Deliver comprehensive primary care services
  • Have an ongoing quality assurance program  

 

What are the benefits of being an FQHC clinic?

In addition to the federal government funding, an FQHC clinic also has the following benefits:

  • Enhanced program in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement
  • Up to $650,000 in new start money
  • Coverage in medical malpractice through the Federal Tort Claims Act
  • Eligible to purchase non-prescription and prescription medications for outpatients through the 340 B Federal Drug Pricing Program
  • Access to National Health Service Corps
  • Access to the Vaccine for Children program
  • Eligible for various other federal programs and grants
  • Access to on-site eligibility workers to provide Medicaid and CHIP enrollment services
  • Access to National Health Service Corps or NHSC dental, medical, and mental health providers

 

FQHC clinics help improve the quality of life for millions of their underserved patients. Their preventative care is cost efficient and allows many patients to have access to affordable immunizations, mammograms, Pap smears, health education, and other screenings. They also meet nationally accepted practice standards when it comes to managing chronic illnesses and the reduction of health disparities. The Institute of Medicine and the Government Accountability Office even recognize health centers’ standards when it comes to health screening and chronic condition management.

 

Hurtt Clinic as a Federally Qualified Health Center

Hurtt Family Health Clinic is a proud no health insurance clinic designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). As a low-cost clinic, we are able to provide all-inclusive services that address the health care needs of our community members in Orange County.  Our resources also make it easier extend help to poor communities. We continue to improve our services to deliver better health outcomes and healthcare solutions to our patients.