Highlights from the Wyoming Primary Care Association

Interested in Wyoming? Read below to learn more about opportunities across Wyoming through the Wyoming Primary Care Association: 

The Wyoming Primary Care Association (WYPCA) is a statewide organization whose mission is to ensure that all residents have access to health care. The PCA works to development, support and expand community health centers, increase health insurance availability and collaborate with other health care partners to increase quality and affordable health care in Wyoming. The organization works alongside eight community health centers (or FQHCs as they are also known) that provide care in thirteen locations including two healthcare for the homeless clinics and the Educational Health Center of Wyoming, which is the residency program of the University of Wyoming. These Health Centers cared for nearly 40,000 Wyoming residents in 2014, regardless of insurance or financial status. 

Wyoming is a rural/frontier state and as such, has challenges in the recruitment and retention of quality health care providers. This is a priority area for the Wyoming PCA; they focus on finding ways to encourage physicians, nurses and mid-levels to consider a rewarding career working for a Community Health Center.  This is one of many training and technical assistance areas that the WYPCA provides to the health centers and other safety-net providers. Recruitment and retention is also a focus of lawmakers and other stakeholders who have grappled for decades with ways to bring and then maintain providers, some in solo practice communities. The newest member of the WPCA is Heritage Health Center in Powell. Having just opened their doors in September 2015, like all community health centers, services are available to all regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Dr. Juanita Sapp, an Internal Medicine physician was raised in “the valley,” and has a special energy to serve the community.

Highlights from a few of our clinics:

• One of the two largest clinics in the state, Healthworks, was established in Cheyenne in 2005. A full range of services (primary care, OB, pediatrics, chronic disease management, diabetic retinopathy screening, pharmacy services, adult and pediatric dental services, immunizations) and the clinic philosophy is 24/7 access for patients.
• Unique in its mission, The Educational Health Centers of Wyoming, serves as both a place of healing and a place of learning. With locations in both Casper and Cheyenne, these clinics affiliated with Family Practice Residency Programs play a pivotal role in serving their respective communities while giving medical residents an opportunity to serve a patient population they might not see in a traditional setting. Services at these two clinics include women’s health, osteopathic medicine, x-ray, full family medicine, pharmacy services and a quick walk in clinic.
• Wyoming’s homeless population is always a priority for the WPCA and can be seen daily at the 12th Street Health Care For The Homeless Clinic in Casper (this clinic operates under the Community Action Partnership of Natrona County). They provide health care services specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of the homeless. They are located at the Life Steps Campus which also houses a shelter as well as a treatment program for substance abuse. Some dental and vision care is also provided as well as medication services.