Discovery can be exhilarating. Sharing that discovery with another is even more breathtaking. But when the road to that discovery itself reveals something incredible to all parties, it is simply magical. This has been our experience in working with Family HealthCare.
From the beginnings of their communication with Aleph Group Inc., there has been a coalescing of vision with resources, that has established a solid and expanding relationship.
“Our Mission is to provide affordable quality healthcare for every person.”
To put a fine point on this relationship, hear the words of Kaylin Frappier, Chief Operations Officer of Family Healthcare, describing their organization.
“Family HealthCare is a multi-disciplinary community health center headquartered in Fargo, NorthDakota.
A federally qualified health center, they provide medical, dental, behavioral health, women health, optometry, physical therapy, lifestyle medicine, pharmacy, and homeless health services within the Fargo-Moorhead metro region, operating from five locations therein. They serve over 17,000 patients annually.
Providing important Services statewide
(We)…also are the sole provider of health services to the homeless in the state of NorthDakota, and also serving portions of Western Minnesota.
Family HealthCare is a vital member of the healthcare system in the region and provides medical and dental services to all patients but with a focus on the underserved in our communities.
As a community health center, we are a safety net provider and ensure that services are available to not only the insured and self-pay patients, but also the underserved which include the uninsured, those of low socioeconomic means, cultural and ethnic minorities, and the homeless populations.”
It was with this spirit and focus that Family HealthCare embarked on an odyssey, the exciting and arduous road toward a custom-designed mobile medical and dental clinic
The difficulties of having such a large urban and rural service area, patient transportation challenges due to wildly variable weather and travel conditions, and the high number of potential clients they must reach, set them down this course. Here, again, are the words of their Chief Operations Officer.
“As the only community health center in the region, there is a continual need to be able to serve those that may have challenges in receiving medical and dental care.
Those challenges can be related to financial limitations, ethnic and cultural barriers, language barriers, as well as residents that have mobility or transportation barriers.”
“Although we have several clinics throughout the region, there remains a large number of people in the region who still are not able to obtain care.”
Transportation challenges are a major issue that was to be addressed by bringing medical and dental care to the patients, as opposed to having our patients try to find means to travel to one of our clinics. The mobile unit reduces, and in many cases, removes that barrier.
Additionally, with the COVID pandemic creating a dire need to provide both COVID testing and vaccination services, we are now able to bring those services to residents and provide those services in a safe, professional, clinical environment that has exceptional infection control safeguards built-in.”
Mr. Frappier continues.
“We obtained general information on the internet concerning organizations who produced mobile units for medical or dental services. It was a full year between our first discussion of the conceptual idea of mobile services to the initial contact with AGI.
After the initial contact, Jales Mello continued a dialog with our Dental Director to share general information.Nearly a year later, we saw a funding opportunity present itself and we reached out to AGI for more information and a formal bid.
The experience was positive and enlightening. By working with AGI, we were able to create and modify a process that was fluid and flexible.
Jales was very amenable to design changes and demonstrated his institutional and design knowledge to ensure that we would have a viable solution upon completion.
During the bid process, not only did we become very familiar with the process of building a mobile unit, but we also became more familiar with the AGI organization itself, its mission, and its culture.
Through these processes, the relationship with FHC and AGI was strengthened, and that ultimately served us well during a very challenging time (COVID pandemic-related issues).
The delays due to COVID and the supply chain were frustrating but the relationship between the organizations helped to provide reassurance that we would ultimately be successful.”
Though it would be nice to imagine that the process was smooth and simple, the realities were challenging, but only seemed to bring the two organizations closer together in the process of overcoming them.
“Lastly, many of the low-income, uninsured residents in our community are not able to obtain dental care due to many of the limiting factors listed above.
By bringing that full-service dental capability to our children, students, non-ambulatory residents, residents of assisted living residences, shelters, and the homeless, to locations where they reside, we can ensure that one more barrier to care, is eliminated.”
Once the decision was made, the pursuit of such a customized vehicle began in earnest.
TO A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT…
“AGI has delivered everything they said that they would deliver.” Mr. Frappier offers.
“Despite delays caused by COVID sickness and supply chain challenges, AGI found ways to meet expectations and to be able to facilitate through the process. AGI has given an incredible amount of thought to every aspect of the fabrication of a mobile unit. Their experience and knowledge ensured that only the highest quality materials are used, and great care goes into the design and fabrication.
You can be assured that the final product will meet or exceed your expectations. You can also be assured that the AGI team will be responsive, communicative, and creative.
They have a great team that respects you and treats you very well. Lastly, as I mentioned previously, I felt that Jales and the AGI team treated us like family and sincerely cared that we would ultimately be satisfied with the product and the process. The openness and honesty of Mr. Mello, Sabrina, and all the staff, was a refreshing experience and one for which we are exceptionally grateful. We felt like part of the AGI family, and I hope that they felt a part of the FHC family too.”
The sentiment was reflected in the words of Jales Mello, CEO, and founder of Aleph Group Inc.
“The FHC family opened their doors and invited us to be a part of something very special.”
Making a positive impact in their community is now in AGI’s DNA, and I am grateful for being considered a part of the FHC family.”
With the delivery of the vehicle in September of 2021, Family HealthCare began immediately doing what it set out to do.
They are reaching more patients than they had been able to do before and they continue to overcome barriers to care for their patients.
The mobile unit allows them to better fulfill their particular niche in the healthcare environment by being able to bring mobile care and treatment to the patient.
Of course, the moment of actualization is fleeting, and already, Family HealthCare and Aleph Group, Inc, have pressed on with their separate, but parallel objectives. Family Healthcare, with its added mobile medical and dental clinic, is still meeting and exceeding expectations, doing its absolute best to provide affordable quality healthcare for every person in their area. And Aleph Group continues to create a positive impact in the community, across the country, and around the world.”
CREATING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS – ALEPH GROUP, INC.
Happy Holidays to all, from our family to yours!
