Community health centers: providers, patients, and content of care.

For more than 40 years, community health centers (CHCs) have provided primary care and behavioral and mental health services in medically underserved communities, regardless of a patient's ability to pay. In 2001, the government launched the Federal Health Center Growth Initiative, providing funds over 5 years to increase by 60% the number of patients served in 1,200 communities. As the number of CHCs has expanded, demand for both physician and nonphysician practitioner services has increased. This report compares patient and encounter characteristics across the different types of providers seen at CHC visits during a 3-year period, 2006–2008.