Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Changes in Clinical Services
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What changes are being made at the Public Health Department clinics?
Some of the services provided at the Public Health clinics are being discontinued. These services include: Women’s breast and pap exams, well child exams and family planning services. The services will be phased out over the next several months and fully discontinued by July 1, 2008.
Where are the clinics located?
The clinics are located at 931 Spring Street in Placerville and 1360 Johnson Boulevard, Suite 103 in South Lake Tahoe.
Which services will still be provided at the clinics?
The clinics will continue to provide services that prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases and outbreaks. These services include: Immunizations, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis, screening and referral for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, and communicable disease control.
Why is the Public Health Department making changes in its services?
Over the past several years, the cost of providing personal health care services such as family planning in our clinics has gone up while our funding has gone down. With reduced funding, we simply cannot afford to offer the same level of services at our clinics as we once did.
Why can’t Public Health cut something else? Aren’t there less important things that could go?
Public Health Departments are required by law to focus first on the health of the whole community, such as preventing, investigating and controlling outbreaks of disease. While many doctors, nurses and other health care providers offer individual, personalized health care services such as family planning, they are not responsible for looking at the entire health of the community in the way Public Health does. Because we do not have enough funding to support all of our services, the decision was made to cut personal health care services from the clinics so that we could continue to offer community wide, mandated services such as communicable disease control.
I heard that the clinics will still offer family planning for young people. Is that true?
Family planning services for people under the age of 18 will be offered at the clinics through the month of September. The decision to extend the services until September was made after hearing from the community that there was a concern about teen access to family planning. Over the next six months, we will work with local agencies and schools to come up with a plan to best serve these youth. Our hope is to build a safety net for these young people.
How do I schedule an appointment at the Public Health clinics?
To schedule an appointment, call the clinics at (530) 621-6100 in Placerville or (530) 573-3155 in South Lake Tahoe.
If I’ve never been seen at the Public Health clinics, can I make an appointment now?
The clinics are currently not accepting any new clients for those services being eliminated. However, new clients will be seen for services that are continuing, such as immunizations, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and screening for Hepatitis C. We will also see anyone under the age of 18 who needs family planning services through the month of September.
Will there be any changes in your fees?
At this time, there are no plans to increase our fees for services provided at the clinics. Fees could be raised in the future, however.
For the services you are discontinuing, when will you stop taking appointments?
This depends on the type of service you need. As some clinic services are phased out, it may become more difficult to get an appointment in one of our clinics. There may be delays in getting an appointment and a limited number of appointments.
Where should I go to receive the services your clinics will no longer provide?
There are a number of health care providers in El Dorado County who offer women’s breast and pap exams, well child exams and family planning services. When switching to another health care provider, there are several factors to consider: Where you live, the type of service you want, whether you have health insurance, etc. If you need assistance finding a health care provider, speak with one of our clinic staff. And remember that you can still come to our clinics for services such as immunizations, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, or screening and treatment for tuberculosis.
Will my services still be free at other health care facilities?
Each facility is different. Before scheduling an appointment with another health care provider, be sure to ask about their costs and which insurance products they accept.
I don’t have health insurance. What am I supposed to do?
Some health care providers offer services on a sliding fee scale. Depending upon your income and other factors, you may qualify for reduced or free services. Be sure to speak with the health care provider about this before scheduling an appointment.
How do I stay on the Family PACT program? Who here in town takes it?
There are several health care facilities in El Dorado County that participate in the Family PACT program. Before scheduling an appointment with your new health care provider, be sure to ask if they participate in the PACT program. You can also log onto the PACT website, www.familypact.org and enter your zip code under provider search. The website will create a list of providers in your area, including the mileage from your zip code address.
What if I have an urgent issue and need to see a doctor right away? Who will see me?
Speak with your new health care provider about emergency services. There are also a few urgent care centers in El Dorado County that provide services.
What other services does the Public Health Department provide?
The Public Health Department is committed to its mission of “healthy people living in healthy communities.” In addition to our clinical services, we provide a wide range of services for the community. These services include: alcohol and drug prevention and treatment; animal services; community nursing; health promotions; laboratory services (such as well water testing); the Emergency Medical Services Agency; issuing of birth/death certificates; emergency preparedness and public information services; prevention and control of disease outbreaks, and more.
What will happen to the employees who have been working in the clinic?
The reduction in personal health care services offered through the clinics will affect clinic employees. Some will find other jobs within the Department and others may find work in new health care settings. Our goal is help our valued employees as much as possible during this transition time.
What if I still have questions? Who can I talk to?
If you have more questions about the changes in our clinic services, or need assistance finding a health care provider, please call us at (530) 621-6116 or (530) 573-3142.
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The following services will continue to be offered through the Public Health Department clinics. 
