Overview

Safety net hospitals work to provide patients the highest level of coordinated care. Unlike a typical hospital, safety net health systems are just that – “integrated systems of care” which allow patients to navigate seamlessly between primary care in community clinics and highly specialized hospital care.

Because safety net hospital systems are so integrated, they possess the fundamental building blocks to improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. In many areas of the country—such as New York City, Denver, San Francisco, and Richmond, VA—safety net health systems have maximized their integrated delivery framework by forming partnerships with health clinics, primary care providers, and long term care facilities to ensure patients can access the full continuum of care. As a result, patients have a full range of services available to them, a medical home, and often, access to an affordable health plan.

NAPH members offer services for their entire community, but they have special expertise providing integrated care to vulnerable patients – including the uninsured, low-income patients, non-English speaking populations and those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. We believe that even with health reform and expanded health coverage, it is necessary to redesign care delivery for these vulnerable patients so that Medicaid and Medicare costs can be contained.