Health Clinic Partnership Earns State Recognition

By  //  July 30, 2012

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Brevard County’s Board of County Commissioners, Brevard County Health Department and the Brevard County Medical Society were named recipients of the 2012 Community Service Award presented by the Florida Health Care Coalition.

The the Florida Health Care Coalition has recognized the three Brevard County organizations for their Primary Access to Health Clinic partnership serving low-income families. (Shutterstock image)

The FHCC recognized the three organizations for their Primary Access to Health Clinic (PATH) partnership.

The PATH Clinic was established to meet the needs of low-income/underinsured adult residents of Brevard County who are without health care benefits, below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

The program has expanded services in central Brevard County, with outreach to north Brevard County, and established a new clinic at the Melbourne Health Department in January 2011.

Health department employees, volunteer primary and specialty physicians provide health care for non-emergency, acute/chronic health conditions, limited disease management, education, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, basic laboratory services, EKG testing and in-house ultrasound.

Dr. Heidar Heshmati is the director of the Brevard County Health Department. (Image by Space Coast Medicine)

The program provides a medical home for eligible residents.

“We are fortunate to have the support of our county commissioners, volunteer physicians and area hospitals for us to be able to provide thousands of free services to needy patients through our PATH clinic,” said Dr. Heidar Heshmati, director of Brevard County Health Department. Heshmati accepted the award at the FHCC’s annual awards event in Orlando.

The event recognizes community leadership, community quality and community services related to health care.

The Florida Health Care Coalition is a 28-year-old organization that represents nearly two million members of public and private sector employers.

Its goal is to improve the quality of health care while reducing the rising rate of health care costs and educating consumers.