Strategic planning is underway at PediPlace, a local non-profit that provides high quality healthcare to kids who don't have private insurance. A series of focus groups comprised of Denton County residents were recently hosted by PediPlace officials to obtain information they intend to use in preparing a three year plan. PediPlace Executive Director Larry Robins said the plan will be "extremely pivotal in determining what PediPlace can become over the course of the next years." Robins said they are talking to patients, elected officials, medical providers and community residents to delve into how each group perceives PediPlace, where a broad scope of pediatric services are provided to about 6,000 children annually at their clinic in Lewisville. The director said he believes knowing the public perception about PediPlace is important. "Perception may not be accurate, but it is real," he said.

     Earlier this month, the focus groups listed what they perceived as strengths of PediPlace, and those strengths included things such as preventing expensive trips to the emergency room, the fact that PediPlace takes an active role in educating parents, and the fact that no one is turned away from PediPlace if a child needs medical care and the family can't pay for it. Perceived weaknesses included that the clinic is seen as difficult to find and might need more noticeable signage around the shopping center where they are located at 502 South Old Orchard, Suite 136 in Lewisville. The facility is finishing their 15th year of service, and Robins said 80% of their patients live in Denton County, with the other 20% coming from throughout North Texas. Although many people might think uninsured children wouldn't be numerous in an area like this, he said it is believed that between five and eight thousand children are uninsured in the Lewisville, Flower Mound and Highland Village area. Robins said that since many of their patients are on Medicaid, national Health Care Reform probably won't affect the numbers of patients they see.

     "PediPlace is going to get busier no matter what happens in Washington. Health care reform won't affect the number of kids on Medicaid," he said. While Medicaid, CHIP and client payments reimburse about 60% of costs at PediPlace, financial contributions make up the difference. One $50 contribution supports one office visit for a sick child, or a $25 donation could go to provide a breathing treatment machine for an asthmatic child. The non-profit also accepts in-kind donations like diapers, formula, and digital thermometers. Volunteers are always needed to help with a variety of projects, and for more information on how you can get involved with PediPlace, please visit their website at pediplace.org or call 469-322-3660.