Community Nurse aims to Double Number of Patients Served

(La Grange, IL) - As the number of West Suburban families living at or below the poverty level and living without health insurance has increased steadily over the past decade, Community Nurse Health Association is pleased to announce that it has achieved a new status, and secured federal funding as a Federally Qualified Health
Center.  The new designation and additional resources will help them to double the number of patients it serves in its health and dental centers by 2014.

Because of Community Nurse’s new designation, a renewable federal grant of up to $650,000 annually and an enhanced rate of reimbursement for Medicaid covered
services will support its commitment to provide low and no-cost medical and dental services to low income families in the Western Suburbs.

Angela Curran, CEO of Community Nurse said, “This designation brings federal tax dollars back into west suburban Cook County to improve health care access for
our low income and uninsured neighbors.  It will also allow Community Nurse to increase its capacity to serve a broader segment of the underserved population, including the frail and low-income elderly, and our neighbors who have been hit hardest by the economic downturn, having lost their jobs or their homes”.

Because of this funding, Community Nurse has also expanded its service area to include the additional west suburban communities of Summit, Justice, Bridgeview,
Hickory Hills and Broadview, all of which have many low income families with limited or no access to affordable health care services, thus bringing the total number of Western Suburban Communities served to 19.

Community Nurse’s status as a nonprofit corporation has not changed, nor has its mission to provide quality health care services to low-income residents of the western
suburbs. This funding complements, but does not take the place of, the long-standing financial and volunteer support that has sustained Community Nurse since its founding in 1921. 

In fact, this special designation was awarded to Community Nurse because of its history of service to the community, and the strong support of the organization from the community and local funders.

“Community Nurse has maintained a remarkable record of providing high-quality care, reducing health disparities, and saving money for taxpayers and insurers alike.  Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital is pleased to be a partner with Community Nurse.  Its new status as a Federally Qualified Health Center will be good for our communities,” said Ed Gervain, Chief Operating Officer at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital.

Recent census and demographic data documented an increase in low-income families in the western suburbs. It also showed many health care disparities for low-income
residents of the western suburbs which Community Nurse’s health center has been designed to address. These disparities include a much higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and asthma, as well as poor access to cancer screenings, immunizations and pre-natal care.  The new designation also allows any community member to access services at Community Nurse, egardless of income, insurance status or ability to pay.