Federally Qualified Health Centers

Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based healthcare providers, serving the under-served community and low income group. They offer primary care services like comprehensive primary health, oral health, mental health and substance abuse services, and enabling services. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) has positioned these Federally Qualified Health Centers to play a crucial role in the future of health care environment. These centers are financed through a mix of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, direct patient revenue, other private insurers, grant funding and philanthropic organizations.

We visited one such FQHC - The Heartland Community Health Center at Devon Avenue, Chicago. Molly Bougearel, the Vice President of HHC, who manages the planning and program development, met with us as we discussed the evolution and the changing facets of FQHC’s in accordance with the law. She mentioned that the HHC originally started off as Heartland Alliance and had lesser revenue compared to now, which restricted them to a very small functional space. Later due to capital grants, they developed these centers in different locations. Eventually these centers grew in number and size, with 6 centers currently serving the North of Chicago itself. They primarily serve low income group; ethnic and minority groups and their service comprises of culturally and linguistically designed health service programs. The center we visited was in a diverse neighborhood, and it clearly showed that while qualifying a site for proposing a new center, they locate them in a high-need community, specifically in a medically underserved area. Besides providing medical services, they offer various outreach programs like stress management and nutrition management.

In terms of infrastructure, this was the only Community Center in Illinois to achieve LEED Platinum Certification. Some sustainable features include a geothermal HVAC system and solar photo voltaic panels have been installed on the rooftop. The center has been built around a central atrium which allowed passage of natural light along the corridor. It comprised of 12 examination rooms and each of these rooms were naturally well lit. The discussion room that we were seated in was a flexible room space that was a multi-purpose 'Community' room and was used for conducting yoga classes or community cooking classes and various training programs. In my opinion, the center was designed very efficiently.

Image courtesy : Manske Dieckmann Thompson

http://www.mdtarch.com/portfolio-item/heartland-health-center-devon/

#HeartlandCommunityCenter #Healthcentre