The Organizational Best Practices of Free Clinics in Florida: An Analysis of Hillsborough County and Pinellas County

Keywords: COVID-19, healthcare, Florida, free clinics, safety net
Session Type: Virtual Poster Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 21

Abstract

Due to the high rates of COVID-19 cases within the state of Florida, the provision of adequate health care facilities and services became focal points of the pandemic. Surprisingly, the U.S. Census reports that Florida has the fourth highest uninsured rate in the nation. With so many Floridians in need of care, free clinics play a vital role in providing millions of dollars in services to uninsured individuals who fall through the cracks of the healthcare system. Since free clinics provide services to their patients at a free or nominal cost, they rely predominantly on private-sector funds to stay operational. This research asks, “What are the best organizational strategies that allow free clinics to thrive in a competitive healthcare setting?” This research uses publicly-available tax data from 2001 to 2020 to examine the organizational structure of six free clinics in Hillsborough County and Pinellas County, Florida. The findings of this research suggests that free clinics reach a tipping point in their organizational structure that leads them to pursue a) largely government or b) mainly private forms of revenue. In terms of policy implications, this study recommends the state of Florida allocates funds based on the scale and years of operation. Smaller free clinics would benefit from additional operational and staff resources, whereas larger free clinics often require significant and ongoing infrastructure investments. Future research should examine the organizational structure of free clinics across the state of Florida and the impact of COVID-19 on their funding strategies.