I. CAPÍTULO
2.1. EL SISTEMA NACIONAL DE CONTROL Y LA CONTRALORÍA GENERAL DE
The Eric B. Chandler Health Center (EBCHC) is the cornerstone of UMDNJ-RWJMS community-based programs. Founded in 1987 in memory of Eric B. Chandler, Ed.D, it is a comprehensive, family oriented community health center that opened in 1988. The Health Center is operated jointly by UMDNJ-RWJMS and t he EBCHC Community Board, which together form the Health Center (co-applicant relationship). EBCHC was designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in January 1991 and received CHC Section 330 funding in October 1993. T he Center is dedicated to providing high quality ambulatory health care services to low-income, uninsured and under-insured residents of the Greater New Brunswick community. The Center is also a training facility for residents and medical students at RWJMS.
UMDNJ-Annual Institutional Profile, September 1, 2012 PUBLIC/COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES
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The primary care services provided at EBCHC include:
• pediatrics & adolescent services-inclusive of EPSDT (early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment) services-and immunizations;
• obstetrics & gynecology-inclusive of family planning & colposcopy; • internal medicine-inclusive of preventative health services;
• diagnostic laboratory; • urgent medical care;
• follow up of hospitalized patients; • geriatrics; and
• preventative, restorative, and emergency dentistry. Other services include
• podiatry,
• HIV counseling and testing, • early intervention and treatment, • addiction services,
• clinical social services, • translation services, • community outreach, • case coordination, • health education and • emergency transportation.
Services provided by contract include diagnostic radiology and phar macy services needed for quality continuity of clinical care. R eferral services provided include emergency care, mental health counseling and t reatment, physical and oc cupational therapy, substance abuse and other medical specialties not provided on-site. Services provided on-site are offered 50 hours per week. Twenty-four hour coverage seven days per week is provided through a physician call schedule. The mission of the center is:
• To provide high quality ambulatory health care services that are culturally effective, accessible and affordable
• To promote a healthy lifestyle and educate patients to take responsibility for and participate in their health care decisions • To serve as a community resource for health and social
services
• To provide high quality educational opportunities for health professionals who train at the Center.
With the support of a federal grant, in March 2006 the Chandler Health Center opened a satellite location in New Brunswick to expand its services. The new facility, five blocks from the main building, responds to the need for more medical and dental services and health education for the under-insured and uninsured population of central New Jersey. With two medical and t wo dental examination rooms, a pa tient education room, and offices for support staff, the services at the satellite location have eased the backlogs for appointments at the main Chandler Center.
As part of an academic health center, Chandler actively participates in training medical students, residents, nursing students, and social work students. Emphasis is placed on
the use of a bio-psychosocial approach to patient care, with special attention given to helping learners understand the influences of poverty, poor education, cultural diversity and family structure on the delivery of effective patient care services. One of the primary goals of the Center is to teach learners about the unique issues that confront patients in an underserved urban setting. Each year over seventy residents and medical students rotate at Chandler. Internal medicine residents and pediatric residents are assigned to Chandler for their three years of continuity care experience. OB/GYN residents provide obstetrical care as well as continuity in gynecologic care.
As part of its commitment to eliminating health disparities and i mproving clinical outcomes, the Center participates in the National Health Disparities Collaborative. Activities are designed to improve the overall care that each patient receives and to establish a process of improvement based on the Care Model. The Care Model fosters productive interactions between patients and a p repared practice team within a health care setting. The model is designed to maximize resources, use them effectively, and look towards the community for resources to help deliver evidence-based care.
The Center is also committed to the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) method for accelerating the change process and i mproving work flow, patient care, and o ther activities at Chandler.
As a community-based health center, Chandler also collaborates with local agencies to address both health and social needs. For example, Chandler regularly participates in community health fairs and projects sponsored by the Alliance for a H ealthier New Brunswick. In addition to its core clinical services, Chandler has developed the following community-based programs:
Family Education Program: This outreach project features a series of health education seminars on topics such as domestic violence, family, immigration, managed care, and home safety and health maintenance.
Prenatal Classes: A series of classes for pregnant women is offered in English and Spanish three times a year to provide information about normal pregnancy, what to expect during labor, and normal child development. A separate series of prenatal classes is offered for expectant adolescent mothers with additional topics such as continuing education after the baby’s birth and preventing unplanned pregnancies. Reach Out and Read Program: To encourage reading to children from an early age, the Chandler Center participates with the National Reach Out and Read Program cooperatively with Rutgers University. At every well child visit, children are given books that are appropriate for their developmental level.