Case Study: Wheeling Health Right

Challenges for Wheeling Health Right

The clinic had begun to notice its medical waste disposal costs creeping upward along with their patient count, but they soon realized what else was going on. Their vendor was increasing prices, and billing invoices were difficult to read and not to be trusted. When Wheeling decided to cancel their contract with their medical waste disposal service, they found themselves being pressured to pay even more.

A Compounding Problem

The double blow of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and state financial cuts meant budget-breaking changes for Wheeling. The nurse-managed clinic, recognized as one of the best free clinics in the United States, serves patients whose earnings are at or below 100% of federal poverty guidelines. With changes brought on by the ACA, Wheeling began to see an influx of patients who were completely new to the healthcare system. Nursing supervisor Alyce Pagano noted that many of their patients, who come to them through hospital referrals, were dealing with untreated, chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and brought with them long-term habits such as tobacco use and sedentary lifestyles that further stressed their health.

With every new patient Wheeling treated, overall costs continued to rise — but patient flow wasn’t the only factor driving their numbers skyward. Executive director Kathie Brown recounts their issues:

“The pricing kept escalating… Billing invoices had to be watched closely. Then, when I wanted to cancel, they changed their buyout commitments three times, trying to make more money.”

Wheeling had to make a decision. The clinic depends heavily on donated medication, supplies, and even services, and they were in no position to tolerate surprises in their operational costs.

Wheeling’s medical waste disposal has been problem free — a welcome change from the rocky and questionable pricing of their previous service provider. Thanks to saving on waste disposal, Wheeling Health Right has been able to maintain its enviable $90 per-patient cost record across the thousands of Ohioans it treats each year.

A Recommendation from a Knowledgeable Friend

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is dedicated to the needs of over 1,200 clinics across the United States. Their member clinics are staffed by a volunteer workforce comprising dentists, nurse practitioners, and a mix of other healthcare professionals. They serve as an advocate for healthcare providers across the country for whom cost control is literally a life or death situation. So when Wheeling received a recommendation from the NAFC to consider MedPro as a budget-friendly solution to their medical disposal needs, they took the recommendation seriously.

A Simple, Straightforward Solution

With the referral from the NAFC and other collected information, Wheeling leadership expected a smooth transition that flowed into service that met their needs, while keeping their budget under control. That’s exactly what they received. Wheeling Health Right now enjoys honest pricing and a great financial deal, all from a company they enjoy working with.

A Future with MedPro

Wheeling has been so satisfied with MedPro’s waste disposal service that they plan on taking advantage of the wide range of OSHA education and compliance services that MedPro provides. With MedPro keeping costs stable and transparent, Wheeling has been able to continue acting on its belief in the dignity of every human being and their right to medical treatment.