Help Close Montgomery County’s Specialty Care Gap
Tefo Timothy Linchwe, MS
Director of Specialty Care Programs, Primary Care Coalition
For an uninsured Montgomery County resident, seeing a primary care provider may be only the beginning. When that patient needs a gastroenterologist, cardiologist, dermatologist, pulmonologist, or another specialist, finding the next level of care can be much more difficult.
That is where Project Access comes in. A program of the Primary Care Coalition, Project Access connects low-income, uninsured Montgomery County residents with essential specialty care through a network of volunteer and contracted physicians and other healthcare partners. Today, we need more physicians and practices to join us.
The Need Is Growing
In FY26, Project Access received 4,283 specialty-care referrals and coordinated 3,140 specialty appointments for Montgomery County residents. However, significant gaps remain. We are particularly seeking additional partnerships in:
- Gastroenterology
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Pulmonology
- Rheumatology
- Endocrinology
- Otolaryngology/ENT
- Ophthalmology
- Gynecology
- Allergy
- Thoracic Surgery
- Occupational Therapy
Some of these specialties have very limited provider capacity, while others currently have no available physicians within our network.
For some patients, access to a specialist is only one part of the solution. Procedural care may also depend on surgery centers, anesthesia, radiology, laboratory and pathology, and other ancillary services. Building those partnerships is equally important to ensuring patients can complete the full continuum of care.
No Matter the Size, Your Practice Can Make a Difference
Every physician and practice has a different capacity, and Project Access doesn't require a one-size-fits-all commitment. You can volunteer specialty services pro bono, based on the number of patients or appointments your practice can reasonably accommodate, or join as a contracted provider, with reimbursement arranged through the Primary Care Coalition. Whether your practice can offer a few appointments or an ongoing partnership, every additional point of access helps a patient who might otherwise go without needed care.
Our Ask Is Simple. Join Us.
If you are a specialist, practice leader, surgery center, or healthcare organization interested in expanding specialty care for uninsured Montgomery County residents, contact Tefo Timothy Linchwe at tefo_linchwe@primarycarecoalition.org(opens in new tab) or 301-628-3496. Together, Montgomery County's medical community can make sure a lack of insurance doesn't become a barrier to necessary care.
