By Anne White
Family Centers and Greenwich Hospital have declared a forward-thinking partnership intended to improve primary care services for both adults and children in Greenwich and surrounding areas. This collaboration is rooted in the shared ambition of enhancing healthcare accessibility and contributing to the long-term health of the community’s underserved populations.
Greenwich Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is planning to file a Certificate of Need (CON) in June. This seeks approval for the transition of its Outpatient Center and clinic services to Family Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center. The transfer includes the adult medicine clinic, encompassing women’s health and geriatrics, and pediatric primary care clinics. The process has been designed to be seamless, leaving no gap in the delivery of services.
Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization committed to serving the residents of Fairfield County. Upon acquiring the necessary governmental approvals, it will assume management of the clinics in a freshly renovated space at 75 Holly Hill Lane. This location is readily accessible via public transportation. Until its opening, currently scheduled for 2024, the existing clinics at 500 West Putnam Ave and 5 Perryridge Road will continue to operate as usual.
The new clinic space will significantly increase patient capacity, in line with the expanding needs of Greenwich Hospital and Family Centers. Along with a 20 percent rise in the number of exam rooms, on- site mental and behavioral health services will also be offered.
The clinics will be enhanced by Family Centers’ broad network of behavioral health, dental, and human services.
“Combined, we can bring better coordinated, high quality primary care to residents of Greenwich and beyond,” remarked Diane Kelly, RN, president of Greenwich Hospital. Bob Arnold, Family Centers’ CEO, echoed Kelly’s sentiments, highlighting the potential of this partnership to expand primary care services and envelop the community in a network of comprehensive supports.
Greenwich Hospital, a 206-bed regional medical center serving lower Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Westchester County, New York, will maintain its support for the outpatient clinics within this innovative model. A major academic affiliate of Yale School of Medicine, Greenwich Hospital is renowned for its service and patient satisfaction excellence.
Family Centers, accredited in Ambulatory Health Care, Behavioral Health Care, and Human Services by the Joint Commission, stands firm in its commitment to the residents of public housing and other underserved communities. As part of the collaboration, Family Centers will adopt Epic, Greenwich Hospital’s current electronic health record (EHR) system, streamlining the integration of data capabilities.
Further details about this promising partnership are anticipated to be shared in due course. The commitment of both institutions to improving health outcomes and their dedication to the residents they serve is reflected in their visionary cooperative approach to healthcare provision.
