Unity Care NW

Provide Access to Health Care for Everyone, regardless of their income or insurance status.

Ensure that all people have the opportunity to live their healthiest lives.

Expand our facilities and services in Whatcom County.

Work closely with our partners to improve health outcomes throughout the community.

Build the organizational and financial resources to achieve Unity Care NW's mission.

Provide Access to Health Care for Everyone, regardless of their income or insurance status.
* Unity Care NW is growing rapidly, serving more than 21,000 of our neighbors in Whatcom County. In 2019 we added a new health center in North Whatcom County (Ferndale) and plan to continue expanding our services.

Strengthen our position as a fully integrated, patient-centered, healthcare home for the growing number of people served.
* Ensure that people who choose Unity Care NW as a healthcare home can easily access and utilize all services Unity Care NW provides.
* Expand organizational structure and staffing proactively to ensure high quality of care as Unity Care NW grows.
* Strengthen referral systems and relationships to ensure that the Patient Centered Medical Home is integrated into a broader and highly functioning Patient Centered Medical Neighborhood.

Expand our facilities and services in Whatcom County.
* Establish a dedicated dental facility for adults in Bellingham.
* Build a new Ferndale facility with expanded medical, dental, and behavioral health services, to increase access for north Whatcom County.
* Develop an enhanced web of co-located maternal and child health services.

Work closely with our partners to improve health outcomes throughout the community.
* Facilitate enrollment of Whatcom residents into health insurance.
* Work collaboratively to emphasize and strengthen preventive care and chronic disease management for vulnerable populations throughout Whatcom County.
* Find innovative solutions to geographic, economic, and cultural barriers that impede access to care.

Build the organizational and financial resources to achieve Unity Care NW's mission.
* Ensure that Unity Care NW's Board has the skills, expertise, and understanding to guide the organization into the future.
* Develop succession plans for key staff positions and Board Members.
* Build Unity Care NW's marketing and fund development capacity to better achieve its mission.
* Establish Unity Care NW as an employer of choice.

Unity Care NW is fortunate to have a strong and stable staff. Our medical, dental, and behavioral health providers are all strong, and seniority in these departments continues to grow.

Unity Care NW's Board, over 50% of which is comprised of our patients, sets the strategic vision of the organization and provides critical programmatic and budgetary advice and oversight.

Unity Care NW is in a solid financial position as we expand due increasing third party insurance participation resulting from the Affordable Care Act and our successful enrollment activities, growth in pharmacy revenue, excellent decisions made by the staff and Board of Directors in response to the budget crisis, and increased provider productivity.

Areas of success are:

• Increasing % and number of people with high blood pressure whose blood pressure and cholesterol levels are controlled.

• Increasing % and number of people with diabetes whose blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and blood pressure are controlled.

• Increasing % and number of adults appropriately immunized against pneumonia, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and influenza. Increasing % and number of children appropriately immunized against childhood diseases.

• Increasing % and number of people appropriately screened for cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer

• Increasing number of children receiving dental sealants and fluoride treatments.

• Declining number of people using unnecessary emergency room services.