Hilltown Community Health Center (HCHC) would like to add its voice to the concerns raised in the recent guest column by Dr. Katherine J. Atkinson regarding the need for additional primary care in western Massachusetts [“Medical practices need lawmakers’ help,” Gazette, Aug. 8].

As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), HCHC has been serving western Massachusetts for nearly 75 years. We’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs and we agree with Dr. Atkinson’s observations on the shortage of primary care providers in our area. It’s been a challenge staffing medical, dental, behavioral health, and optometry providers at all four of our clinical locations. However, while the shortage is indeed real, we would like the community to know that HCHC is currently accepting new medical patients, most notably at our John P. Musante site located within the Bangs Community Center in downtown Amherst.

Despite the statewide provider shortages, we are thrilled to be welcoming two new medical providers to our practice, Physician Assistant, Karen Lucus and Physician Alexandra King. They will be joining our very talented team of medical providers, and like Dr. Atkinson’s practice, they are backed up by wonderful support staff!

Hilltown Community Health Centers Inc. (HCHC), was founded in 1950 and creates access to high quality integrated health care and social service programs to promote well-being for individuals, families, and our communities. HCHC provides comprehensive, integrated, state of the art medical, dental, behavioral health, optometry and health education and outreach services. In 2022, HCHC served 9,458 patients, of which 38% are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline.

HCHC operates four health center sites and a community center in Hampshire and Hampden counties. The Huntington Health Center serves the southern Hilltowns, the Worthington Health Center serves the northern Hilltowns, the School-Based Health Center in the Gateway Regional Middle/High School serves the students in the Gateway Regional School District and the John P. Musante Health Center serves Amherst and the surrounding communities in the Pioneer Valley region. The Hilltown Community Center in Huntington provides on-site and community-based health education programs, health insurance assistance, social service support and services, family education and support, and domestic violence advocacy and safety planning.

We acknowledge Dr. Atkinson’s frustration with MassHealth reimbursement but at the same time want our community to know that as a FQHC, Hilltown Community Health Center is committed to and welcomes MassHealth patients, as well as those with Medicare and private insurance. We have licensed and trained health insurance navigators at all our sites to assist those who are uninsured or underinsured.

The health care provider shortage is real, and something needs to change if we’re going to sustain our ability to jointly care for all members of our community. Until that change happens, we will continue to enroll new patients and help area practices close the accessibility gap for our community.

Dr. Michael Purdy, OD, MPH, is interim CEO/Chief Clinical and Community Service Officer at Hilltown Community Health Center.

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