Nurse-managed health center

A Nurse-Managed Health Center (NMHC) provides health care services in medically underserved rural and urban areas where there is limited access to health care. NMHCs provide health care to thousands of uninsured and underinsured people every year. NMHCs are usually affiliated with nursing schools, universities, and/or independent non-profit organizations. Managed by advanced practice nurses, NMHCs provide health care to vulnerable communities using a nursing model.

Overview
The first NMHC was created at Arizona State University over 25 years ago, and it is still in existence today. Now, there are approximately 250 NMHCs in the United States, located in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Currently, Philadelphia has more NMHCs than any other city in the United States. NMHCs serve populations that are demographically similar to those served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). In some cases, NMHCs are FQHCs. NMHCs tend to be located in or near low-income communities. Over half of the patients seen at NMHCs are females who come from racial/ethnic minority populations and are likely to have experienced health disparities. NMHCs are managed and staffed by advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners. In some NMHCs, nurses collaborate with physicians to provide care. In other NMHCs, nurses work independently, without physician involvement.

Services Provided
Many NMHCs provide a full range of primary care services, comparable to services provided by primary care physicians. Some NMHCs also provide behavioral health services, including family and couples therapy. In addition, all NMHCs provide health promotion, wellness, and disease management services. NMHCs also focus on preventive health care, especially regarding certain chronic conditions like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. This focus on preventative, holistic health care has been shown to reduce emergency room usage and decrease the length of hospital stays among NMHC patients.