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Why Choosing to Work at an FQHC is So Rewarding

The latest candidate data shows that an increasing number of applicants are paying closer attention to your mission than ever before. Certainly, the healthcare profession sparks the interest of candidates who want to help people. But there are some subsets of healthcare that are more mission-driven than others. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) take the mission of healthcare and multiply it by targeting treatment for some of the most vulnerable populations in our country.

What Makes FQHCs so Unique?

It’s the mission and requirements of FQHCs that make them unique in the healthcare delivery space. The National Association of Community Health Centers outlines the requirements for federal funding that these facilities must meet:

  • They must serve a medically underserved population.
  • They must serve all individuals regardless of their ability to pay.
  • They can charge only a “nominal fee” based on a sliding fee scale.
  • In addition to clinical care, they must also provide non-clinical enabling services that increase access to care, including translation services, transportation, and case management.

One doctor described the importance of this network of care delivery, calling upon all of us to support these organizations that do so much for our most vulnerable populations:

“Is it too much to propose that one way to lift many Americans out of their chronic illnesses related to the social determinants of health is to provide continuing support to the work of community health centers located in the disadvantaged neighborhoods of our cities and the thousands of small rural communities that together are the ‘other America’ that so many of us can avoid seeing?”

FQHCs serve 29 million people with an essential lifeline to physical and mental health treatment as well as preventative care and social services to improve the quality of their lives. While the benefits for these populations are clear, what are the benefits for healthcare workers who choose to work in these environments?

Benefits of Working at an FQHC

The top benefits of working at an FQHC for clinical and administrative teams include:

  • Better work/life balance. In these small community settings, healthcare workers avoid some of the stressors and time demands of larger clinical settings.
  • Several financial benefits including the potential for student loan repayment as well as coverage of malpractice insurance. Today, the salaries at FQHCs are also more competitive than you might realize.
  • Skills expansion as you treat a diverse population of patients that suffer from a variety of chronic illnesses. If you are a provider, the hands-on experience you receive is unlike anything else in the healthcare field. You will also personally benefit from grateful patients!
  • Finally, it’s the mission-driven environment that attracts most clinical and administrative teams to FQHCs. Your mission is to make a real difference in people’s lives by helping underserved populations, many of which are below the federal poverty lines. This mission of service makes a difference in the lives of these patients. But you’ll be surprised at how it will also make a difference on your own.

UHC Solutions works with healthcare talent to match them to high-performing, mission-driven FQHCs and community healthcare organizations. We can help you reinvigorate your career by helping you become part of a mission that matters. Contact our team of leading recruiters when you’re ready to explore your options.

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