With the mass resignations of the governing board of the Morongo Basin Community Health Center’s community clinic, questions have been raised about the different types of health clinics. The Morongo Basin Community Health Center currently operates federally qualified health centers; last week, the board of directors of the Healthcare District directed the district’s staff to pursue adding a Rural Health Clinic model, to include an immediate-care facility and occupational health services. Managing editor Tami Roleff explains the differences between the two types of clinics…
Generally, the difference between a Federally Qualified Health Center, which is already in operation in the Morongo Basin, and a Rural Health Clinic is that the FQHC is nonprofit, must provide care for all ages, provide all types of care, has a sliding-fee scale, and is required to be open a minimum of 32.5 hours per week. Rural Health Clinics may be for profit, may limit the type of care provided, do not have to offer a sliding-fee scale for payment, and are not required to be open a set number of hours or provide emergency care.
More information:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/rural-health-clinics#fqhc
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Differences Between RHCs and FQHCs |
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| Rural Health Clinics | Federally Qualified Health Centers |
| For-profit or nonprofit | Nonprofit or public facility |
| May be limited to a specific type of primary care practice (e.g., OB-GYN, Pediatrics) | Required to provide care for all age groups |
| Not required to have a board of directors | Required to have a board of directors – at least 51% must be patients of the health center |
| No minimum service requirements | Minimum service required – maternity & prenatal care, preventive care, behavioral health, dental health, emergency care, and pharmaceutical services |
| Not required to charge based on a sliding fee scale | Required to treat all residents in their service area with charges based on a sliding fee scale |
| Not required to provide a minimum of hours or emergency coverage | Required to be open 32.5 hours a week for FTCA coverage of licensed or certified healthcare providers. Must provide emergency service after business hours either on-site or by arrangement with another healthcare provider |
| Required to conduct an annual program evaluation regarding quality improvement | Required to have ongoing quality assurance program |
| Must be located in a Health Professional Shortage Area, Medically Underserved Area, or governor-designated and secretary-certified shortage area. May retain RHC status if designation of service area changes. | Must be located in an area that is underserved or experiencing a shortage of healthcare providers |
| RHCs must be located in non-urbanized areas | FQHCs may operate in both non-urbanized and urbanized areas |
| Required to submit an annual cost report; however, auditing of financial reports is not required | Required to submit an annual cost report and audited financial reports |
