Panola County
Low
Income Primary Care Access
Summary
of Information:
Low
Income Population: 10,698 (at or
below 200% FPL, 1998)
Total
practicing primary care physicians: 6
Regular
full time equivalency: 5.2
Full
time equivalents serving the low-income population: 2
Ratio
of low-income population to low-income FTE:
5,349:1
Considered
a shortage of providers: Yes,
currently designated as whole-county HPSA.
Physicians
accepting new patients: 86%
Physicians
accepting new patients who have Medicaid coverage: 86%
Physicians
who can provide interpretation for non-English speaking patients: 43%
Languages
interpreted: Spanish
What
are the barriers to health care for people in your county?
“I don’t think there are any.”
“HMOs. Our doctor will not see patients on an HMO.”
“Transportation. Lack of indigent health care. We
need to hire a mid-level provider to see all of the walk-in patients. Lack of
providers.”
“Ignorance, lack of providers for private
pay/indigent patients.”
“We do have an indigent care program.”
“No barriers.”
Are
there additional barriers for the low-income population?
“The
hospital is very expensive for outpatient services for the private paying
patient.”
“Price
of medications is too high for the low-income population.”
“Prices
of health care.”
“No”
-- response given by three physician
offices.
Community Input: Adolescent births are
significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, there is a lack of prenatal care and a lack of
access to prenatal care.