The Door to Healthcare

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

In January 2010, the Howard County Health Department and Healthy Howard, Inc., implemented the “Door to Healthcare” in an effort to improve how healthcare is accessed among uninsured populations. The Door utilizes a unique web application called One-e-App to help individuals navigate available health care options (Maryland Children’s Health Program; Primary Adult Care; Medical Assistance for Families, and the Healthy Howard Health Plan) through an efficient, “one-stop shop” process. Individuals either sit down with a counselor or work alone at a private kiosk and enter personal data (including: family make-up, income, etc) into a system which displays eligible programs that the individual and/or his or her family members can instantly apply for. The goal of the Door is to help take the guesswork out of finding the right healthcare for individuals and their families. Howard County is the first region on the East Coast to pilot One-e-App, which came as part of a federal recommendation to improve how healthcare is accessed. To date, more than 7,000 Howard County residents have been served by The Door to Healthcare.