Demographic and Clinical Data
Statewide, the percentage of uninsured North Carolinians increased by almost 15 percent from 2000 to 2004. In Wake County alone, nearly 19% of residents between the ages of 18-64 have no health insurance. The numbers are significantly higher for the Latino and African-American populations.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation, 79% of the uninsured reside in a working household. The most recent figures available show that utilization of WakeMed's emergency room rose nearly 9 percent from 2003 to 2004. It is estimated that nearly 60% of this volume is non-urgent, and a significant percentage is for primary care services.

WakeMed refers over 600 patients each month to AMM for follow-up services after an ED visit, and AMM receives another 100 referrals monthly from the community (Rex Hospital, Duke Health Raleigh Hospital, Wake County Human Services, Wake Health Services, etc.) There is a compelling need to care for uninsured patients in a way than minimizes their use of emergency room services, while maximizing the quality, continuity, and availability of the medical care they receive.

Alliance has been able to demonstrate a marked reduction in usage of the local emergency room for non-urgent needs. 86% of patients surveyed randomly had a reduction in their number of ER visits after establishing their care at Alliance. Also, 90% of employed patients surveyed experienced a decrease in the total days of work missed due to illness after establishing care at AMM.

Review of care of AMM diabetic patients reveals over 97% had appropriate glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1C) testing - the national average for all patients insured and uninsured is less than 50%. The average reduction in this value for our patients is 1.5%, resulting in markedly reduced risks of developing microvascular diabetic complications like blindness and kidney failure.

In a recent survey of AMM patients:

100% of patients experienced improvement in overall health since establishing medical care at AMM.

63% of patients rated their health as markedly improved.

71% had at least one visit to the ER prior to becoming an AMM patient.

86% had a reduction in Emergency Room visits.

The cost per patient visit has decreased from 2003 - 2005.