North Star Health

Springfield Medical Care Systems (SMCS) operates a thirteen-site, federally qualified health center network. These offices provide access for primary and preventive health care to the general population and make financial assistance and charity care available to all based on a sliding fee scale. Services include primary and preventive health care for people of all ages, pediatrics, health screenings, behavioral health programs, school-based clinics, dental care, vision care, and a 340B discount pharmacy program.Primary Care Services - Our primary care network provides ongoing care and outreach to our service area, utilizing a medical home model of care and focusing on prevention and efficient care management. We work closely with the Quality Improvement Collaborative, OneCare AccountableCare, and the Vermont Blueprint for Health to develop and implement strategies for improving overall population health outcomes. Our offices strive to provide the best possible outcomes. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality care, i.e. appropriate care provided in the appropriate setting, with the end result being improved health outcomes, high patient satisfaction, and improved cost efficiency.Our Community Health Team (CHT) holds monthly public meetings to collaborate and partner with area agencies to remove barriers and improve access to care. The team now approximates 45 organizations and communicates regularly with hundreds of individual participants. New members are welcomed at each meeting as word of the team spreads throughout the community. The Team serves as a central community contact point (similar to a hub and spoke model) to facilitate communications, networking and collaboration among all area services.Through the employment of primary care physicians and allied health professionals in Charlestown, NH; Ludlow, VT; Bellows Falls, VT; Londonderry, VT; and Springfield, VT, SMCS provides access to high quality medical care with emphasis on prevention and wellness in these communities. Due to the tenuous economics of rural primary care practices, this physician availability would not exist without SMCS support.The Ludlow area has been designated by the State of Vermont as a Health Professional Shortage Area. The state and federal governments have designated the Bellows Falls, VT and Charlestown, NH areas as serving a medically-underserved population. These health centers serve an inordinately high Medicare and Medicaid caseload. As of September 2023, SMCS cares for a total of 24,334 unique patients.Behavioral HealthSMCS has a comprehensive outpatient Mental Health/ Substance abuse program and provides outpatient behavioral health counseling. With early adoption of Healthy People and NCQI Medical Home guidelines, SMCS aggressively integrated behavioral health counseling with primary care medical care by virtue of the on-site stationing of behavioral health at its primary care (FQHC) sites. SMCS practitioners coordinate care with Springfield Hospital inpatient services and, to an even greater extent, work with Springfield Hospital emergency department to assist in managing patients that present with mental health related diagnosis.Dental Care - SMCS' Ludlow and Chester offices serve a growing need for dental services throughout the SMCS primary care service area. Patients from all offices can be referred to the Dental Centers for care, and a financial assistance program is available for those needing assistance, based on a sliding fee scale. The two locations provided 9,819 visits in FY '23.Vision - SMCS offers vision services through North Star Vision Care in Springfield, VT and offers comprehensive eye care services including ophthalmology and optometry. In 2023, Lane served 2,235 patients and provided 3,251 visits.Pharmacy Program - SMCS operates a 340B pharmacy charity program that helps expand access to affordable medications. Eligible patients can obtain their prescriptions at little to no cost. This program operates in partnership with five local pharmacies in Vermont: Bellows Falls, Springfield, and Ludlow, ands well as two pharmacies in Claremont, NH.Charity Care Policy - SMCS has a charity care policy under which patients who meet certain criteria will receive care without charge, or at amounts less than established rates. Patients qualify for 50% charity care at up to 200% of the federal poverty guideline. SMCS does not bill patients nor pursue collection of amounts determined to qualify as charity care. In the fiscal year, which ended on September 30, 2023, charges foregone for charity care, based on established rates, amounted to approximately $22K.Eligibility Assistance and Enrollment Counseling Services SMCS works in partnership with Valley Health Connections (VHC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, to provide SMCS patients certified enrollment assistance and consults to help remove barriers and facilitate access to health care for uninsured and under-insured people. VHC reports many people need guidance to navigate insurance enrollment processes and even through insured, care remains difficult to afford for many Vermonters. These services include enrollment assistance for preventive health care, health education and screenings, referrals to providers for ongoing health care through a medical/dental home, and assistance with enrollment in State and local programs that help pay for health care, medication, dental, and other public programs. Consults are also provided for SMCS New Hampshire residents who need assistance accessing NH services.