Preserving and Enhancing Primary Care Access in Central Queens

Grantee Name

Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center

Funding Area

Special Projects Fund

Publication Date

May 2012

Grant Amount

$250,000

Grant Date:

May 1, 2009 – April 30, 2010

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Southeast Queens is a community experiencing a serious shortage of primary care, and lack of primary care for these residents often leads to higher rates of nonurgent emergency room use and preventable hospitalizations.

These residents have low incomes, high poverty rates, and poor health statuses and by the end of 2008, the situation in this area worsened. The St. Dominic’s Family Health Center, a primary outpatient center of Mary Immaculate Hospital of Caritas Healthcare, was about to close as Caritas declared bankruptcy.

With NYHealth’s support, Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center acquired St. Dominic’s from Caritas and incorporated St. Dominic’s into its Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) network in 2009. This initiative enabled St. Dominic’s to continue operations under new ownership, expand its services, and become self-sustaining.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Successfully acquired St. Dominic’s from Caritas.
Secured an emergency Certificate of Need from the State and obtained Federal approval to add St. Dominic’s to its FQHC network, ensuring reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare.
Made necessary repairs to the facility, purchased equipment, hired staff, developed patient tracking systems, and marketed the new operation to area residents. The new facility opened in May 2009.
Experienced 3,256 patient visits per month as of May 2010, up from 600 visits per month when Addabbo had assumed ownership.

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