As the days get warmer, summer caps are revising their services and partnerships to ensure that they provide their clients with the best possible services. One of the toughest challenges in the process is to choose a good healthcare provider because, beyond the costs and logistics, there are many other factors they need to factor into the decision.
Children require special healthcare, so it’s crucial to work with someone who can provide specialized care. When the camp addresses children of different ages, the healthcare provider must be ready to meet their various routines and health issues. A healthcare provider is the primary care provider in a summer camp setting, and its role is to help the childcare service provide high-quality services. So, what makes a healthcare provider the right choice for this job?
Factors to consider in the search
Before reviewing the list of possible healthcare providers, try to determine the particular needs the children that visit the summer camp have. Also, don’t forget to consider the employees’ medical needs because they can get sick while working.
- Does any of the employees or children suffer from chronic health issues?
- Do you usually have a healthy population?
- Are medically-compromised children or employees in the group?
- Does anyone require permanent supervision?
- Does the camp program include activities that imply a high risk of injury?
The answers to these questions should help you figure out the type of services the healthcare provider should provide to meet your camp’s particular healthcare needs. If you address an international public, collaborate with a transcription services provider because you need to translate the medical paperwork for the children before sending the medical files to the healthcare provider. Medical transcription outsourcing sounds like a good idea because you don’t need a full-time translator on site.
How to pick a healthcare provider?
Visit the local community health center
A community healthcare center can provide complete medical care for children. If it’s close to the camp, you can take the children there for checkups and treatment when they get injured or if they need prescription drugs. The staff can also go there because these centers usually provide complete care. Some even offer free services depending on the medical conditions the patients have. You can find a complete list of the community local health centers on the Department of Health and Human Services’ website.
Ask at the local hospital
Another way to find a healthcare provider is to ask the local hospital for recommendations, as they know of the organizations that offer this kind of service.
Before you sign the contract with a healthcare provider, talk dollars with them because children usually qualify for free programs the state insurance provides. If they don’t have deductible services, try to negotiate a reduced rate considering that you establish a long-term partnership. Ask them if they accept patients on a fee-for-service basis and what services do the children’s insurance policies cover.
Most providers receive payment separately for each service, so negotiate how much they ask for each child they care for. And last but not least, make sure that a specialist can visit the camp facility when needed.