The Mission Statement for Harbor Health Services, Inc. is:
Harbor Health Services is a public health agency committed to providing quality, comprehensive health care to all those in our community regardless of ability to pay.
There are several key words and phrases in the Mission Statement that have a very particular meaning for us. For one to fully understand our Mission Statement, they would need to comprehend these critical words.
"…a public health agency…" As a Community Health Center, we are very different from the traditional practice of medicine. We care about the overall health of a specific geographic area and try to serve all in the area, not just those who are in our waiting room. If there is a health problem in our community that is within our area of expertise, we try to respond to it. If there are people in our community who are not in our waiting room, that is the definition of a problem for us. We need to look at why they are not using us and, again, try to respond.
"…quality, comprehensive care…" Quality, as a goal, calls for constant measuring, assessing and improvement. It is more than having well trained, well intentioned staff. Comprehensive means we treat more than the basic biological/medical problem. We offer such services as social services, behavioral health, domestic violence counseling, translation services, transportation, early childhood education, teen parents services, gang and violence prevention efforts, smoking cessation, substance abuse counseling, alternative health therapies, as well as an innovative multidisciplinary program for frail elders. In other words, a lot more than "just medicine".
"…all those in our community.." As a Community Health Center, we have a neighborhood or community focus. Who we are is determined, in part, by what our specific neighborhood needs are. The word "all" is important. We have added language capacities and cultural competencies as our neighborhoods have changed over time.
"…regardless of ability to pay…" We do not turn away patients in need whose income does not allow them to pay the full cost of care. And we offer needed services that are not reimbursable under traditional medical insurance plans.
The Mission Statement is short and to the point, but there is a world of meaning and commitment in these carefully chosen words.
