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Health Center Cheers 35 Years: A Popular Community Health Center is Celebrating 35 Years of Service

Posted on: Thursday, 18 May 2006, 09:10 CDT

By Charlene Collazo, The Miami Herald

May 18--A production error caused part of this story to be omited on Sunday. It is published here in its entirety.

Juana Leon was pregnant and didn't have health insurance, so she turned to Community Health Inc. for medical care. That was 11 years ago, and the unemployed mother of two has been coming back ever since.

"The opportunity that this clinic gives me with regards to paying is great," she said Wednesday at the CHI clinic, 10300 SW 216th St. "In any other place, a consultation would cost a flat fee of $90 or more, but here it is based on your [income], and you're offered so many services like dental and mental health and follow-ups."

The opportunity for reduced-cost or free healthcare draws 45,000 uninsured patients like Leon to CHI, a community-based medical organization celebrating its 35th anniversary.

A black-tie gala will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Palmetto Bay Village Center, 18001 Old Cutler Rd. The event will honor 14 "Health Heroes" who have supported CHI.

What began as a two-trailer center in 1971 to provide "close to home" services to South Miami-Dade residents has evolved into a 28-acre facility that operates six centers and five school-based programs. CHI's reach spans from Miller Drive to the Monroe County line, offering primary healthcare, dental and mental health treatment on a sliding-fee basis.

CHI hopes to expand even more when the new Homestead Hospital, under construction and scheduled to open in the fall, moves to its new building. Brodes H. Hartley Jr., the 22-year president and CEO of CHI, said he's talking with representatives of Baptist Health South Florida about the possibility of using the old hospital building.

Such a move would help CHI treat more patients by moving primary and nonemergency care from the Martin Luther King Jr. Clinica Campesina center, 810 W. Mowry St., in Homestead to the hospital facility.

Tanya Racoobian, spokeswoman for Homestead Hospital, which is part of the Baptist Health system, said there are many options under consideration for use of the old hospital, and primary care for CHI patients could be one of them.

Hartley said being CHI's CEO has been a "wonderful experience."

"Considering that 64 percent of our patients fall below the poverty line, they do not have enough funds to get healthcare," he said, "but we are able to provide many services to them."

About 500,000 people are uninsured in Miami-Dade, and the number is growing as medical and insurance costs rise -- a trend seen across the nation.

Bob Tyron, a 31-year CHI employee in charge of supplies in the warehouse, said he has seen CHI's patient base change over the years as more people face the challenges of paying for health care.

"Many patients coming to the center used to represent the middle-lower and lower-lower classes, but now you can see more of the working class, upper-lower and middle-middle classes," he said.

Healthcare isn't just a problem for the unemployed, he added. Some workers make just enough to get by and don't have extra income for costly health insurance. For them, CHI offers CareNet, a discount insurance program that costs $25 a month.

"Many employees are out there breaking their backs 40 to 60 hours a week with no health insurance, but this center is able to provide them healthcare with no worries," Tyron said.

CHI receives funds from federal, state and county sources. It has more than 450 employees.

Dr. Anju Sood, director of urgent care and a CHI employee for six years, said her "main focus is educating the patients who can sometimes be ignorant of their condition or symptoms. I love working here and how my staff expedites treatment and quality of care."

Patients say they appreciate the way they are treated at CHI, where they said they don't face a lot of questions about their immigration status and don't have to wait for hours to be seen.

"The way CHI takes care of my needs is beautiful, and if I'm hungry, they will feed me," said Betty Patterson, a patient at the clinic Wednesday.

Gala tickets are $100. For more information, call Romanita Ford at 305-252-4853.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Miami Herald

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Source: The Miami Herald

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