Volunteers served more than 100 people, including many new immigrants.
Published on: 07-22-2024
UChicago Medicine AdventHealth team members and physicians, along with community partners, united to put the health system’s mission and values into action by providing free medical care for those in need during an annual medical mission clinic.
Held recently at the Sports Hub in Glendale Heights, Illinois, United States, the clinic offered medical evaluations across various specialties and resources for ongoing care.
Beyond health screenings and medical services, the clinic helps patients connect with a medical home, receive specialty referrals, and gain access to social services and affordable medications through community partners.
The team of volunteers served more than 100 people, including patients new to the United States from Mexico, Philippines, Ethiopia, Venezuela, India, Ukraine, Poland, and Nigeria.
UChicago Medicine AdventHealth’s 2022 Community Health Needs Assessments identified access to comprehensive, high-quality care for uninsured and underinsured individuals as a major need. The annual clinic is one way the organization addresses health disparities in the communities it serves.
Improving the Health of the Communities
“As members of AdventHealth, our hospitals strive to live out our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ beyond the walls of our hospital,” an AdventHealth statement reads. “One such way is by working to improve the health of the communities we serve.”
Every three years, the organization conducts Community Health Needs Assessments to determine the major needs in the surrounding area. This data is then used to develop a Community Health Plan for each hospital to improve residents’ health through education, research, financial assistance, special programs, and spiritual resources. “These services, referred to as community benefits, are offered without regard to profit,” AdventHealth initiative leaders said.
They explained that “community benefits are programs or activities that provide treatment and promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs. They increase access to health care and improve community health,” adding, “At AdventHealth, we work with a wide range of community partners to help meet the needs of our communities.”
Serving the Local Needs
In a statement, AdventHealth leaders explained the rationale behind the initiative. “As members of AdventHealth, our faith-based hospitals are committed to excellence in providing quality health care while serving the diverse needs of those living in our area,” they stated. They added that financial assistance may be available to patients receiving non-elective hospital services who are not covered by any form of insurance or government program after verification of income and financial information.
The original version of this story was posted on the AdventHealth news site.
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