Kennedy Community Health
New Patient Welcome Guide
Welcome to your new Medical home.
Your Primary Care Provider (PCP)
A primary care provider (PCP) is a doctor, a physician assistant (PA), or a nurse practitioner (NP) who will oversee your care plan and is the leader of your medical home team.
Patient Portal
We encourage you to sign up for our Patient Portal. The Patient Portal is an online tool that helps you manage your health care.
It can give you access to test results, communicate with your care team, request a prescription renewal, and more.
Making an Appointment
We now offer online self scheduling for routine medical appointments! Please visit our self-scheduling page to book your next appointment.
You can also request an appointment through the Patient Portal, or you can reach us by phone at the number below:
508-852-1805
School Based Health Centers
Kennedy Community Health offers health services for children and teens on site at their schools. Services include medical, dental and behavioral health.
Insurance Information and Payment
All payments, including co-payments, are expected at the time of service or when picking up your medications. Co-payments are determined by your insurance coverage or income.
Pharmacy and Prescriptions
For your convenience, Kennedy Community Health has four on-site pharmacies in Worcester (605 Lincoln Street and 19 Tacoma Street), Framingham and Milford.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about our services.
Preparing for an appointment
You will receive a reminder message via text or email 3-5 days before your appointment. Please arrive at the arrival time in your reminder message. If you are late for your appointment, we may not be able to see you that day and you will have to reschedule.
For your visit to the Health Center:
-Make a list of your questions and concerns.
-Bring all your medicines with you (including herbal and traditional medicines).
-Bring your insurance information.
-Bring a list of all the specialists you are seeing.
-Ask a friend or family member to come with you, if you think it will be helpful.
-If possible, bring a picture identification. This may be required for some prescriptions at the pharmacy.
Canceling an appointment
It is not always possible to keep an appointment. Please follow the prompts on your reminder message to cancel or reschedule your appointment. You can also call us at cancel at:
1-800-853-2288.
Please do not forget to call if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Our appointment slots are in very high demand. If you cannot come in at your appointment time, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance of your schedule time so we can offer the appointment to another patient who may need it.
Chaperones
A chaperone is a trained member of the health care team who is present during a medical examination to independently observe the examination/procedure. Please let staff know if you would like a chaperone. We would be happy to arrange one for you.
Referrals
You may need to see a specialist outside the Health Center to achieve your health goals. Your insurance may require a referral from your primary care provider to pay for the service. Our staff can assist you by making a referral and scheduling or providing information on how to make an appointment. Please speak with your primary care provider if you need a referral.
Medical Records
We are committed to protecting the privacy of your medical information. To protect your privacy, we follow careful procedures.
Kennedy Community Health maintains a health record for every patient. The record contains a history of all of the health care services provided at the Health Center. In some cases, it will contain information sent to us by another provider.
Health records are private and are the property of Kennedy Community Health. Information is not released to a patient’s spouse, partner, family member, friend or anyone without written consent from the patient. Patients have the right to request a copy of their health records and to inspect those records.
To release a health record, a medical record release form from Kennedy Community Health or another facility or provider must be completed and signed. This form must be signed by either the patient, parent or a legal guardian.
After receipt of a written request, a copy of your health record will be provided within 30 days. In accordance with Massachusetts General Law, we will charge a small fee to cover the cost of copying.
There is no charge for copies of:
-Immunizations
-Physicals
-Records being sent directly to another facility or provider for continued medical care
Communication
Kennedy Community Health uses different ways to share important updates about your care.
We may contact you by text, phone, email, mail, or in person. You can choose to stop these messages if you want.
One of our main partners is Vital Interactions. They help us send health updates. Please save their contact info in your phone so you don’t miss anything important: (508) 426-9869
What to do when you are sick
If you or your child is sick, please call us. We are available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If we think you need to be seen, we will try to schedule an appointment for the same day or next.
Kennedy Community Health is not a walk-in clinic and appointment availability is limited. We strongly encourage you to call before coming to the Health Center. If you need to be seen, please call ahead so we can try to fit you in and keep your wait time to a minimum.
What to do when the health center is closed
If you or your child is sick after hours, please call us at:
1-800-853-2288
The answering service will take your information and contact our doctor on call. The answering service will ask you:
– Your name
– Date of birth
– Telephone number
– Description of your medical concern
A doctor will call you back within about 30 minutes. The doctor will review your medical history and listen to your concerns. They will help decide what you should do.
Please ask the answering service for an interpreter if you need one.
When to go to the Emergency Room
The emergency room is not always the most appropriate right place for you and your care. It may not always be necessary for you and can be very expensive.
Emergency care is care that is needed right away for a serious medical problem like:
Trouble breathing
Heavy or sudden bleeding
Severe or sudden chest pain or pressure
Any other serious health problem that needs immediate attention
In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
What to do in bad weather
For your safety, we may need to close our sites when the weather is bad. We may transition your appointment to telehealth or have to reschedule. We will contact you if there is a change to your appointment.
If we close our sites due to weather, we will post an announcement to our website, social media and to the patient portal. You can also call us for updates:
1-800-853-2288.
If the Health Center needs to close unexpectedly, we attempt to reach out by automated calls or texts to any patients scheduled for an appointment.
Communication Preferences
When you register as a new patient, the Health Center collects your contact details like phone numbers and email addresses. This information is used to send reminders, surveys about your care, and other health-related communications.
You can choose not to be contacted by filling out a request form during registration or asking your care team later.
Kennedy Community Health does not sell or share its patient lists with outside companies. We may share data with trusted partners who help us analyze statistics, send messages via email, text, voice calls, or postal mail, provide customer support, or arrange deliveries. These partners are only allowed to use your information for these specific services and must keep it confidential.
Compliments and Complaints
Your Feedback Matters
We try very hard to always provide patients with excellent service. To serve you better, we invite you to share any concerns and/or suggestions with any of our staff. If our staff cannot help you, they will be able to direct you to someone who can. Formal complaints can be made to our President/CEO. You may also submit compliments and complaints through our website:
https://www.kennedychc.org/for-patients/complaint-compliment-form/
You may contact:
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Health Care Quality Hotline: 1-800-462-5540
Joint Commission Office of Quality Monitoring: 1-800-994-6610 or by email at complaint@jcaho.org.
For concerns about discrimination, you have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights at 1-800-368-1019.
Kennedy Community Health:
Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:Qualified sign language interpreters
Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:Qualified interpreters
Information written in other languages
If you need these services, contact:
Susan Melucci, Section 1557 Coordinator
Phone: 508-595-0700 | Email: rm.qi@kennedychc.org
Address: 115 NE Cutoff, Building 2, Suite 200, Worcester, MA 01606
If you believe that Kennedy Community Health has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with:
Susan Melucci, Section 1557 Coordinator
Phone: 508-532-7320 | Email: rm.qi@kennedychc.org
Address: 115 NE Cutoff, Building 2, Suite 200, Worcester, MA 01606
You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, the Section 1557 Coordinator is available to help you.
You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
Online: https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf
Mail: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-800-368-1019
TDD: 1-800-537-7697
Complaint forms are available at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html
Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) FAQs
Kennedy Community Health shares information regarding the vaccines we administer with the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) to promote continuity of care.
What is the MIIS?
– A computerized system that collects and stores basic
immunization information for people who live in Massachusetts.
– A secure and confidential system, as required by Massachusetts law.
– A system that is available for people of all ages, not just children.
How will it help me?
The MIIS:
– Helps you and your family get the best care wherever you go for your healthcare.
– Makes sure that you and your children don’t miss any shots or get too many.
– Can print a record for you or your children when you need it – if you move, if your doctor retires, or when your child starts school or camp.
– Supports access through the My Vax Records Patient Portal. Patients can request access to their immunizations and SMART Health Card from the MIIS on demand.
Why is this important?
As you know, the schedule of shots needed to keep healthy can be very complicated. The MIIS:
– Helps your healthcare provider
keep track of which shots are due
and when they should be given.
– Keeps all your immunization records together for you, your family, and your healthcare provider
– Provides proof of vaccination for your children.
– Helps prevent outbreaks of disease like measles and the flu in your community.
– Keeps shot records safe during
natural disasters such as flooding or hurricanes.
What information is kept in the MIIS?
– A list of shots that you or your children have received as well as any that you or your children get in the future.
– Information needed for safe and accurate immunization of each patient, such as:
– Full name and birth date.
– Gender (male or female).
– Mother’s maiden name (for
children).
– Address and phone number.
– Provider office where each shot is given.
How does this information get into the system?
– Information about children is added when a child is born or when a child gets his or her first shots.
– Your healthcare provider can add your records or your family’s records if they are not already in the MIIS.
Who has access to my records?
– The Department of Public Health (DPH) uses modern technology to make sure that all information entered into the MIIS is kept secure and confidential.
– The information in the MIIS is only
available to:
– Healthcare providers or others ensuring appropriate immunization, as authorized by DPH.
– Schools.
– Local boards of health.
– DPH, including the WIC program, and other state agencies or programs that provide education and outreach about vaccines to their clients.
-Health plans for immunization rate improvement and quality improvement efforts for each plan’s membership
– Studies specially approved by the Commissioner of Public Health which meet strict legal safeguards.
What if I don’t want my information shared?
– You have the right to limit who can see your information.
– To limit who can see your information, you need to fill out the ‘Objection or Withdrawal of Objection to Data Sharing’ form which you can get from your healthcare provider.
-If you decide to limit who can see your information, your current healthcare provider will be able to see the shots they have given to you or your children, but may
not be able to see your complete immunization history.
– If you decide to limit who can see your information, you will not have access to all of the benefits of the MIIS, like sharing your immunization records with schools and
emergency rooms, and a complete record of shots in a single place.
– You can change your mind (decide to share or not share your information) at any time.
