Safety-Net Providers Focus on Population Health and Community Outreach as Part of Their Pandemic Response

Safety-net health care systems that serve large numbers of uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients have been doubly challenged by the pandemic. Not only are they more likely than other institutions to care for patients at high risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, they also have fewer resources to acquire personal protective equipment and other supplies. We interviewed leaders of four institutions that care for vulnerable populations to ask how they have been grappling with these challenges. We found they shared a common approach that relies as much on community outreach as on hospital preparedness: they’ve been reaching beyond their own walls to offer education about the coronavirus, help in obtaining COVID-19 tests, and support in finding social services.

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