Frequently Asked Questions on GPC
Question 1: What is Grameen PrimaCare’s (GPC) mission?
Answer: GPC’s mission is to test and deliver innovative and comprehensive health care models that combine high-quality affordable primary care, health education, and wellness programs, to empower low-income women to build healthier lives and cultivate healthy communities.
Question 2. What population does GPC serve?
Answer: GPC was established to address the overall health and wellbeing of low-income families served by our sister microfinance organization, Grameen America (GA). The majority (90%) of GA members are Hispanic immigrant women who run their own small business and earn about $1,000/month. A majority of members are single mothers with two children and while many of their children have health insurance through Medicaid or State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), GA members are largely uninsured.
Question 3. Where does GPC work?
Answer: GPC is based in New York City, alongside our sister organization, Grameen America (GA). GA currently reaches over 4,000 low-income women in Queens, NY alone and over 10,000 low-income women in New York City. GHI will open a wellness center in Queens for GA members and their families living in Queens in Fall 2013. The wellness center will be available to GA members and their families offering enhanced primary care, health education, discounted services, and a wellness program.
Question 4. What problems is GPC seeking to address?
Answer: While Grameen America (GA) members’ businesses are growing, this underserved community lacks access to high-quality affordable health care services that meet its specific needs. The majority of GA members are low-income Hispanic immigrant women who are uninsured, lack access to preventive services, and high-quality affordable care. Faced with barriers to care and a high prevalence of chronic conditions, their income and resources are spent badly, impeding progress toward individual financial viability.
Question 5. What are the main components of GPC’s model?
Answer:
i) Enhanced Primary Care: Access to a wellness center that offers primary care through our partner, Iora Health. The wellness center will be staff by doctors, nurses, social workers, and health coaches.
ii) Weekly Wellness Meetings: In order for members to gain access to the wellness center, members will be required to participate in weekly group meetings on health. These meetings will include nutrition and cooking classes, health education, chronic disease management, and fitness classes, among other topics. Wellness meetings will be held at Grameen America members’ homes as well as at the wellness center.
iii) Insurance and Discounts: GPC will leverage the Grameen America population to aggregate demand and enroll members into a Medicaid managed care plan. Additionally, GPC will work with partners and use our group purchasing power to get discounted services not covered by the wellness center, such as access to tertiary care.
iv) Connected Health: Through our partner, ClickMedix, GPC will introduce GA members to a mobile-connected platform that will allow members to access their electronic patient records. Additionally, GPC will promote a Shared-Decision Making model, which focuses on a peer-led discussion about GA members’ health decisions, building a supportive social network that fosters healthy community living.
Question 6. What is the Grameen group model and how will GPC use the group model in health care?
Answer: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Grameen Bank founder Professor Muhammad Yunus pioneered the Grameen group model of microfinance in Bangladesh. The Grameen group model requires women to form groups of five before applying for individual loans for their own income-generating business. The women then meet with a Center Manager on a weekly basis to repay their individual loans. The group model utilizes peer pressure and social accountability within the group to ensure that group members pay back their loans on time. Grameen America (GA) members have a 99% loan repayment rate.
With the proven success of the Grameen group model in the financial space, GPC will leverage this model in the health care space to bring women together on a weekly basis to learn about nutrition, diet, chronic disease management, and fitness, among other health-related topics.
Question 7. How will GPC evaluate and research programmatic impact?
Answer: We will partner with well-established research institutions, such as Mount Sinai Hospital, among others, to track various metrics to measure the program’s success. The following social and health metrics will be used to evaluate program effectiveness in achieving our goals:
i. Health Status: Our research will track patients’ baseline biometrics, increased awareness of domestic violence, adherence to diet programs, improved self-management of chronic conditions, and the decline in the number or severity of chronic diseases.
ii. Mental Health: Our research will track patients’ stress disorders, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and overall feelings of wellness.
iii. Access to Care: Our research will track patients’ ability to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and overall reduction in health care costs
iv. Financial Status: Our research will track patients’ changes in spending on health care, changes in income and living standards, and business growth.
Question 8. How will GPC measure programmatic success?
Answer: GPC aims to drastically cut costs in health care spending both on the provider and patient side. We will use the following metrics to measure the program’s success:
i. Utilize the Grameen group model to engage 50% of the members in regular health-related group meetings, where they can learn how to prevent and better-manage chronic conditions.
ii. Educate 100% of the participants on disease prevention and how to make healthy lifestyle decisions.
iii. Improve by 10% key health indicators, including weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels.
iv. Reduce unnecessary hospitalizations by 10% or more over the course of two years. This will be based on self-reported numbers and we can independently confirm these through either the provider or insurer.
v. Reduce Emergency Room visits by 50% or more to significantly cut costs.
Question 9. Who are GPC’s partners?
Answer: Iora Health, which builds enhanced primary care clinics across the country, is partnering with GPC to design, develop, and manage the wellness center in Queens, NY. Other partners include: UnitedHealthcare, ClickMedix, and Mount Sinai Hospital. GHI is also establishing relationships with many local health organizations to ensure better coordination of care within the community.
Question 10. Is GPC a nonprofit organization with 501 (c)3 status?
Answer: GPC is based in New York City and is a project supported by Grameen Research, which is a nonprofit organization with 501 (c)3 status.
