Gregg County

Low Income Primary Care Access

Summary of Information:

Low Income Population: 43,772 (at or below 200% FPL, 1998)

Regular full time equivalency: 63.8

Full time equivalents serving the low-income population: 15.4

Ratio of low-income population to low-income FTE: 2,842:1

Considered a shortage of providers: No

Physicians accepting new patients: 89%

Physicians accepting new patients who have Medicaid coverage: 52%

Physicians who can provide interpretation for non-English speaking patients: 72%

Languages: Spanish, Russian, Sign, and French

*Surveys completed 9/00

Community Input: A community coalition has been formed, hosted by Mark Young at the Longview Community Wellness Center, targeted at improving access to healthcare. Specific issues targeted are transportation and dental care. Efforts are being made to coordinate community services, with a central location for referrals. There is also a need for more efficient mental health and mental retardation screening and referral systems. Longview Wellness Center received Primary Health Care grant funding from the Texas Department of Health and will be a new Primary Health Care provider in fiscal year 2002.

Prepared by Community Health Provider Resources, Texas Department of Health, as part of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation East Texas Rural Access Program; Spring 2001