HealthReach Newsroom

Celebrating 20 years of HealthReach Caring for the Underserved

Kelly — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:10:57 +0000

From the Libertyville Review………..

A festive celebration was hale on April 21, 2012, at the Ivanhoe Country Club, marking the 20th anniversary of HealthReach, Lake County’s free medical clinic.

One hundred thirty guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner, dancing and a variety of entertainment options including a Live Auction, Fund-a-Need Auction and Champagne Diamond Raffle. The raffle of a .51 carat diamond was donated by Lustig Jewelers of Vernon Hills. Attenndees included HealthReach Board Member Ed Walters of Green Oaks; HealthReach Operations Manager Lori Harper of Libertyville and Louise Wood and Dennis Leu of Green Oaks.

HealthReach presented the annual HealthReach Appreciation Award to Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital for their unparalleled support of the HealthReach mission. Members of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital (LFH) executive staff accepting the 2012 HealthReach Appreciation Award included Vice President, LFH, Damon Havill of Chicago; Vice President, LFH, Jane Griffin of Park Ridge; CFO of LFH Matt Flynn of Libertyville and Vice President, NMH Dr. Daniel Derman of Chicago.

$70,000 was rasied at the event to benefit HealthReach which provides free healthcare to the medically underserved of Lake County. In April 1992, HealthReach opened its first clinic in a tiny storefront on Waukegan’s south side and provided 1000 visits. In 2012, HealthReach will provide 23,000 visits to 5,000 patients in clinics in Waukegan and Mundelein and a retail pharmacy in Libertyville. The growth of the HealthReach organization is the result of a dramatic increase in the needs of the medically uninsured Lake County residents. HealthReach relies on the donations of individuals, corporate partners, and family foundations who believe in the mission.

For more information visit us at healthreachcares.org.

HealthReach Celebrates 20 years in Lake County

Kelly — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:35:58 +0000

For 20 years, HealthReach has been serving the uninsured population in Lake County, IL. In 2011, HealthReach had over 18,000 patient visits and filled over 28,000 prescriptions for the uninsured. The healthcare safety net in Lake County has never been more necessary. Of Lake County’s 703,462 residents, 12% are medically uninsured and 6% live in poverty. Our free clinics and licensed pharmacy been meeting the challenge of providing a medical home for thousands of the most needy families and individuals of our community.

This year we are celebrating the 20^th Anniversary of HealthReach on April 21st. In April 1992, a group of physicians and administrators from Victory Hospital and St. Therese Hospital opened the original clinic on 10^th Street in Waukegan. We now operate two free clinics and a pharmacy, one in Waukegan and Mundelein, with our pharmacy in Libertyville. HealthReach continues our work independent of those hospitals. This year we will serve over 5000 medically uninsured and underserved residents of Lake County.

Please join us for HealthReach 20th Anniversary Gala on April 21, 2012 at the Ivanhoe Club in Ivanhoe, IL. Enjoy dinner and dancing, a live auction and raffle. Monies raised from the event will go towards the comprehensive healthcares services to the medically uninsured, low income residents of our community. For more information, check out our website at www.healthreachcares.org or contact Kelly Rentas at 847-360-8800 ext. 2229.

HealthReach Top 3 Finalist

Kelly — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:33:16 +0000

The HealthReach Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that the volunteer physicians and dentists of HealthReach have been recognized by Congressman Robert Dold as “A Top Three Finalist” in his annual 10^th Congressional District Leadership Award. He received hundreds of submitted nominations. The HealthReach Board submitted the nomination for our steadfast volunteer professionals. The letter of nomination is posted in each clinic over the physicians’ desks.

Dr. Melissa Chen, accepted the award on behalf of all the 64 volunteers that make HealthReach such a success. Congressman Robert Dold held a reception for the top 10 nominees for the 10th Congressional District Community Leadership award.

Daniel Serota, coordinator of the event stated that “ they would like to congratulate us because HealthReach has shown what truly embodies leadership in the community of the 10th District. HealthReach’s hard work in the community cannot go unrecognized and they applaud us for our efforts.” Thank you to Congressman Dold for the achievement. Our Volunteers are the best!!!!!

20th Anniversary Gala

Kelly — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:20:34 +0000

SAVE THE DATE
HealthReach 20th Anniversary Gala
Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 6PM
Ivanhoe Country Club
Mundelein, Il

Cocktails, Dinner, Dancing and Live Auction

HealthReach receives $50,000 donation from Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:11:54 +0000

HealthReach receives a $100,000 Grant

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:08:36 +0000

from the Abbott Fund. Monies will be used towards our Medical and Pharmacy Program.

2011 Spring Gala- A Big Success

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:05:52 +0000

The HealthReach Board of Directors sponsored the annual spring gala which featured a Kentucky Derby Theme. On May 7, over 110 friends of HealthReach gathered for an afternoon of charitable wagering and auctions. The profit of $43,000 was a record for this event. An anonymous donor matched $15,000 of these proceeds for a grand total of $58,000. All of the profits from this major fundraiser provide the funding for the medical, dental and pharmacy programs. At the event Barbara Martin, President and CEO of Vista HealthSystem, was given the 2011 HealthReach Appreciation Award. This annual award recognized Vista’s significant and continuous support of the work of HealthReach since 1993.

The success of the 2011 Spring Gala was made possible by our major sponsors: U Line, Libertyville Bank and Trust, Amerisource-Bergen, Baxter Foundation, NorthShore University Health System-Highland Park Hospital, and Waukegan Savings Bank.

Our very generous guests supported the important work of HealthReach through their auction bids and charitable wagering. We are especially grateful to the kind donors of our live auction items The Board of Directors is indebted to all of these committed community members who make possible the work of HealthReach.

HealthReach 2010 Accomplishments

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:59:30 +0000

2010 was a year of continued service diversification and growth for HealthReach. Highlights and accomplishments include:

· Selected as the Fiscal Agent and lead organization for the Illinois Free Clinics Association statewide planning project

Served as a co-chair of the Lake County not for profit sector leadership task force resultingin a formal $100,000 request for a proposal to create a Lake County Human Services Counci in 2011 / 2012

· Member of the Lake County Access Plan Task Force investigating County wide solutions to healthcare access challenges for the medically underserved

· Successfully implemented the Healthy Families medical and mental health programs in collaboration with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science at the HealthReach Waukegan Clinic

· Completed the fourth cycle of in-clinic St. Martin de Porres High School business internships for bilingual students considering medical careers

· Expanded operation and growth of our new acute care / patient sick call program to full time service providing over 300 patient encounters per month

· Added on-site ultrasound imaging services to our portfolio of diagnostic testing capabilities

· Added on-site physical therapy and chronic pain management services to our portfolio of specialty care services

· Conducted 10,770 patient medical service encounters

· Filled over 28,000 prescriptions while decreasing overall medication expense by 22%

· Provided over 500 healthy lifestyle one on one patient education sessions

· Negotiated over 400 referral encounters to outside specialists

· Provided over 1,200 cancer screening procedures and tests

Educational Partnerships

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:56:12 +0000

HealthReach strives to provide a high quality educational environment for student interns from a variety of institutions to learn about healthcare delivery to medically underserved communities while providing much needed operating support to our clinics and pharmacy. Over the years, several of these student interns have returned to HealthReach either as a volunteer or as employees with a new career.

In 2010 HealthReach nurtured relationships with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Lake Forest College and St. Martin De Porres High School to provide quality internships in the areas of physician assisting, health clinic business adminstration, information technology, customer service in a culturally diverse and bilingual environment, and health outcomes research and analysis. During the year HealthReach also continued successful programs for training of medical students and mid level practitioners in the areas of podiatry, family medicine and women’s health. Looking ahead to 2012, we plan to investigate educational internship opportunities at the HealthReach pharmacy with the new School of Pharmacy at Rosalind Franklin University.

Acute Care and Midlevel Practitioner Program

Kelly — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:51:52 +0000

In January 2010, HealthReach opened its new Acute Care / Midlevel Practitioner program. This program is the result of direct patient feedback that HealthReach waiting times for sick call appointments were too long to be effective and that community access to acute care services for non emergency illness was extremely limited for uninsured persons with little or no means to pay. The program is currently implemented by Donna Carson PA, under the formal collaborating supervision of HealthReach volunteer physicians. The program provides efficient no-appointment-necessary sick call and walk-in encounters for adults with non emergency acute illnesses. Patients are provided with onsite diagnostic testing and prescription medications from the clinic dispensaries as needed. Nonregistered patients are provided one-time service and are encouraged to become patients. Early and late weekday hours combined with Saturday hours allow individuals to receive care with minimal lost time from work.

Since its inception in January 2010 the Acute Care Program has conducted 1431 visits. Based on information obtained from direct patient feedback, access to the HealthReach acute care clinic has saved over 330 emergency department visits and over $101,000 in direct patient charges.