NeoPath Health is committed to reducing health disparities for tribal communities by working with tribes to implement managed onsite and near-site clinics. NeoPath’s onsite clinics provide culturally-sensitive health and wellness services with pharmacy, lab, imaging, acute care, and primary care all located onsite.
NeoPath onsite clinics support tribal health because they:
When people have to travel far to get to a clinic to receive healthcare, it creates a barrier to accessing care and decreases utilization. NeoPath onsite clinics are centrally located on tribal land so that most — if not all — community members can easily get to them. The physical proximity of onsite or near-site clinics to tribal communities makes it possible for community members to make the short drive or walk to the clinic.
Improved access to care improves tribal health. People who haven’t been able to access care because of a transportation barrier can now visit a NeoPath onsite clinic to see a clinician about acute or chronic conditions. When people seek care, NeoPath clinicians can not only provide preventative care to prevent future disease but also help community members manage chronic health conditions, like diabetes or kidney and liver disease. Managing chronic health conditions reduces the risk of adverse events, like a hospitalization.
NeoPath onsite clinics are cost-effective, which allows the tribe to cover the cost of care for its community members. The NeoPath model favors comprehensive care with a primary care doctor instead of expensive, referred specialty care. This affordable care model, combined with the fact that NeoPath clinics can do standard lab work and dispense over 100 generic medications — onsite and without markups — makes it possible for tribes to offer primary care and generic medications at no cost to community members.
Reducing or eliminating the cost of care removes the financial barrier to accessing care. People go to the doctor when they need to when they aren’t held back by financial limitations. Plus, offering generic medications at no cost to your community increases the likelihood that people will take their medications as directed by their doctors. When community members adhere to their medication instructions, their chronic conditions are better managed, further reducing the risk of costly adverse events.
NeoPath onsite clinics support tribal health by building trusting, respectful relationships between clinicians and the tribal community. The physical proximity of the NeoPath clinicians to the tribe helps establish a mutual feeling of trust and respect. Clinicians get to know families throughout the community and can provide culturally-sensitive medical care.
When community members trust the NeoPath clinicians, they’re more likely to keep coming back for routine care. When people return for care as instructed, they can more effectively prevent disease and manage chronic health conditions.
Clinicians can provide more holistic and patient-centered care as they get to know individual community members through repeat doctor visits.
NeoPath onsite clinics are sometimes just the beginning of a more significant culture shift for tribes. Tribal communities often start investing in health on a broader scale after opening an onsite clinic. Some tribes kick off wellness programs alongside the onsite clinic to encourage healthy behaviors, like nutritious eating, smoking cessation, and physical activity.
The presence of a NeoPath onsite clinic alone reminds tribal community members that their health matters and resources are available to help them improve it. Onsite health clinics spur discussions about healthy behavior and drive a movement toward a healthier tribal community.
NeoPath Health breaks down the barriers to care by building clinics where tribal community members live, offering healthcare services (including labs and medications) at no cost to the individual, and nurturing trusting relationships between clinician and patient. Tribes that implement NeoPath onsite clinics can ultimately create a community of healthier families.