CHECK OUT ERIE'S BLOG: BEATS PER MINUTE
Want to learn about the weekly buzz in the world of health? Read Health Beats, posted on Beats Per Minute! To read about Dr. Donald Berwick, President Obama's Administrator for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare and his recent visit to Erie Family Health Center, click here.
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SALUD AND THE CITY!
Save the Date - February 24th
Join Erie Family Health Center
for a night on the town at
LaSalle Power Company while
also helping to make Chicago healthier!
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COMMUNITY NEWS
2010 Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis
December 4th 2010
What better way to kick off the holiday season then by helping others? By participating in the Arthritis Foundation's 2010 Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis you'll be one of the thousands of runners across the nation who will be running to fight arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability. The race will take place at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum at 2430 N. Cannon Drive. Holiday outfits are welcome!
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Greetings!
I have always prided myself on being a successful gift giver and would consider myself savvy when it comes to finding that perfect something. While we all know presents are lovely, there are some gifts you can't pick up at a store downtown Chicago. This holiday season, help your community and bring Joy to Erie by giving the gift of health. You can directly assist members of the Chicago community by making a donation. Every dollar given helps bring an extra ounce of joy into the lives of low-income Chicagoans all year around.
Another way you can change the lives of Erie patients is by following us on Facebook! Simply click the 'like' button and an anonymous donor will give Erie $5 for every new fan! Ask your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors... the more fans we get the more money Erie raises to help those in need this holiday season. Want an excuse to get out and about the city? Be sure to save the date for Erie's upcoming event, Salud and the City, being held Thursday, February 24, 2011 at LaSalle Power Company! Join Erie to help make Chicago healthier. Check out the exclusive video here or buy your ticket today!
I hope you enjoy this issue of e-Spotlight and I look forward to catching up in December! Happy Holidays!
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Best wishes,
Lee Francis
President and CEO
Erie Family Health Center |
ERIE NEWS
Erie Family Health Center named one of the Top 100 Workplaces in Chicago by the Chicago Tribune
Why do employees of Erie Family Health Center smile? Because even when times are tough, they are working for one of the greatest employers in Chicago. This month the Chicago Tribune is publishing a special report recognizing the region's best places to work, judged by those who know best - the employees. Erie is pleased to announce we have been named as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces 2010!
The list springs directly from the opinions of people all across Chicagoland, in cubicles and labs, on plant floors and in board rooms, in nursing stations and university hallways. The 100 Chicago-area companies in the Tribune's Top Workplaces were selected from the results of employee surveys measuring qualities including company leadership, career opportunities, conditions, workplace flexibility, compensation and benefits. The survey was measured by the responses to 24 distinct statements, ranging from "This organization's culture encourages inclusion and respect" to "It's easy to tell the truth to my boss." Results were weighted based on the size of the company and then ranked within their size. For a master list of the Chicago Tribune's Top 100 Workplaces please visit their Website at www.chicagotribune.com. Erie would like to thank all of its employees who dedicate their lives to improve the lives of others -it's no wonder Erie is one of the Chicago Tribune's Top 100 Places to Work! |
Erie Family Health Center announces new site in Evanston, Illinois
 Erie Family Health Center knows that there is a need for quality health care well beyond the Chicago communities where our health centers are located. We know it's challenging for working families who live outside of Chicago's city limits to make it to Erie's Chicago-based sites. Research shows that low income areas are rapidly growing outside the city limits in suburban areas. So why not bring Erie's high quality, award winning services into new communities that need them most? Erie Family Health Center is doing just that as we plan to establish a new health center in the city of Evanston, Illinois. Erie will serve patients in need in both Evanston and neighboring Skokie-but we won't turn patients away, no matter where they live. Erie is applying for a Federal New Access Point grant that would help support the new site. In the event that a Federal grant is not received, Erie will work with its Evanston partners to determine a new revenue funding model that will sustain the site.
After several months of detailed study and discussion, the City of Evanston selected Erie as the preferred federally qualified health partner to open a health center within Evanston. "One organization impressed us above the others," said Evonda Thomas, director of the city's health department, about Erie Family Health Center. The need for a community health center has increased since the city lost health services last year.
There are pockets low-income, minority families in both Evanston and Skokie that have nowhere to go for health care. "This project has all the ingredients of a successful new access point for health care for the community," says Dr. Lee Francis, Erie's President and CEO. "We have a visionary health department, interested local health care partners and a health center like Erie with a strong model of primary and preventive care." Erie will be the first Federally Qualified Health Center in Evanston serving patients regardless of their ability to pay. Erie will work closely with local hospital partners including Resurrection Health System's St. Francis Hospital and NorthShore University HealthSystem's Evanston Hospital.
It is estimated the Evanston site will serve approximately 5,000 new patients through 15,000 annual patients exams within the first two years of operation. Services provided will range from prenatal care to older adult care and will include dental and behavioral health services as well. "We know about the health problems of Evanston,'' Francis told Evanston council members in a short presentation."We've studied them. We know about sexually transmitted infections, we know about teen pregnancies, we know the array of services will more than cover the needs of Evanston."
Click here to read the official announcement of the new Erie Evanston site in the Pioneer Press. |
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CENTER ROLL CALL
Erie Henson School-Based Health Center hosts the Teenage Dream Event
 Being a teenager in today's day and age is a little bit like straddling two worlds. Not quite children and not quite adults, teens are constantly challenged as they try to figure out how make the smoothest transition into the next phase of life. Learning how to make decisions, take responsibility and finding the support they need to evolve into healthy adults can be difficult. Finding a source of reassurance and support can be a true solace for those during this transitional period.
The Erie team at Erie Henson School-Based Health Center has given themselves the opportunity to become a haven for teens in the community of North Lawndale who are looking to better their lives. On November 12th, Erie Henson hosted the 'Teenage Dream' teen conference. This event brought in a variety of presenters from social service agencies throughout Chicago, including the Schwab Rehabilitation Center, Rush Medical Center and Between Friends, who gave classroom-based workshops to the teens in attendance. Workshop topics included violence prevention, reproductive health, development of healthy lifestyles and education decisions.
To read more about this event, click here. |
ERIE HEALTH TIPS
Cholesterol and the Holidays
Oh, it certainly is that time of year again. By November 1st, it seems as if the fat and sugar total in groceries stores across the country has increased 10 fold. Cakes, cookies, turkeys, potatoes and all the trimmings are displayed on shelves and windows throughout the city. All those calories burned off during summer activities are certainly made up for - and then some - as we grab our grocery carts and power down the aisles. Unfortunately, the silent scream of our cholesterol levels seems to go unrecognized as we enjoy the holiday's tasty treats. Talking about cholesterol issues doesn't rank as high in importance as our Christmas lists or Thanksgiving Day menu items, but it's just as crucial. For Americans, high cholesterol is a serious issue. 102 million American adults have high cholesterol levels. 35 million of these Americans have cholesterol levels that fall in the 'heart danger' zone - meaning that they are at a high risk for heart disease.
What do we really understand about cholesterol anyway? We usually tend to register high cholesterol levels as 'bad.' Some of us might know that there are 'good' and 'bad' types of cholesterol. But what qualifies cholesterol as the good kind? If our cholesterol levels are too high, how do we know? Most importantly, how do we keep our cholesterol at a healthy level? In order to enjoy the holiday season without having to sacrifice our health in the process, let's explore some of these 'FAQs' of cholesterol. Click here read the commonly asked questions (and answers) about cholesterol. |
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e-Spotlight is produced by Erie Family Health Center's Development Department. For any questions or to submit story ideas please contact Val Comprelli at 312.432.7463.
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