Actual Public Acceptance of the Neighborhood Health Center by the Urban Poor

An examination of the utilization and evaluation of the Tufts-Columbia Point Health Center in Boston on the basis of three years of actual experience, with use of data from medical records, utilization-recording, and independent population surveys, reveals that 83% of residents make heavy use of the Health Center as a regular and primary source of care and compare it favorably with alternative sources. Fragmentation and discontinuity of care are demonstrably reduced. Neighborhood health centers have the overwhelming approval of consumers, and there is both need and opportunity for further comparative research.