The Southeast DuPage Health Initiative

SDHI at a glance

 

The Southeast DuPage Health Initiative (SDHI) is a free health clinic in Westmont for low-income adults made possible by collaboration between Access DuPage, the DuPage Community Clinic, the DuPage Health Department and United Way of DuPage/West Cook. The clinic provides basic health services on-site and connects patients to additional affordable medical services and prescription medications through a network of local medical partners. SDHI patients receive comprehensive medical care and preventative services in an accessible, affordable and trusted manner to improve their overall health and wellness.

 

Download our SDHI Brochure here.

Results from our First Year

 

In its first year, SDHI connected more than 2,200 low-income adults to a trusted medical home and is improving the health of communities across the entire county. To date, more than 1,100 unique patients have utilized services at the clinic, with 4,205 primary care visits and 861 specialty visits on-site. More than 400 patients have utilized coordinated services such as mental health services or case management resources to help them address more significant barriers to mental health and wellness. These same uninsured patients received more than 13,000 affordable prescription medications in the past year, giving them important tools to manage their acute and chronic health care needs.

Because of the model’s effective care of the uninsured, SDHI has created new partnerships with local health services to increase access to dental services, ophthalmology, neurology, gastroenterology, diabetes and rheumatology. The program is forging new partnerships with local health students as well, including mental health clinical partnerships with Metropolitan Family Services, a United Way Partner Agency.

Why is this needed?

 

A significant number of residents in southeast DuPage are low-income (household incomes below 200% of the FPL) and do not have health insurance. The number is growing, and without the help of this program, these adults would have many challenges receiving affordable and comprehensive medical care.

Why is United Way funding this?

 

Because health is one of the building blocks of a good quality of life, along with income and education, we fund nearly 60 programs that provide a wide variety of health services in our 65 communities. SDHI fits closely with our emphasis on providing access to critical health services by establishing a medical home – somewhere clients feel comfortable going for basic medical services that are affordable, accessible and culturally relevant that are also able to access additional health needs and connect clients to them. For example, various physical and mental health problems often arise alongside substance abuse issues, so it is critical to connect vulnerable clients to the services they need rather than leaving it up to them to navigate a complex and intimidating system.

How does SDHI provide these services?

 

SDHI provides on-site services through the DuPage Community Clinic and also coordinates with local hospitals and physician group to provide inpatient care and other intensive services to patients without charge.

What are the services offered by SDHI?

 

SDHI provides 10 primary services as the need has identified:

  • Primary on-site medical care at the Westmont center
  • Specialty medical care at multiple private physician groups
  • Diagnostic testing at DuPage hospitals
  • Free or low-cost prescription medications
  • Hospital services at all DuPage hospitals
  • Oral health services at several DuPage clinics
  • Mental health services at several clinics and hospitals
  • WIC and other special clinics through the DuPage County Health Department
  • Case management through Access DuPage
  • Patient navigation through Access DuPage and the Health Department

What is a typical client experience with SDHI from start to finish?

 

  1. A client enrolls in the Access DuPage program to verify eligibility for SDHI services. 35 community organizations throughout DuPage County provide the enrollment process.
  2. Once eligibility is verified, the client is enrolled in Access DuPage and receives a client number, a membership card and a membership handbook. Membership lasts for one year, after which they may re-apply and must re-verify their eligibility.
  3. The new member is assigned a “medical home” – a participating primary care physician or clinic as the member’s ongoing source of primary care and his/her entry into the broader health system. In this project, each member will be assigned specifically to the Westmont Community Health Center though members from other areas of the county may be assigned to the DuPage Community Clinic (a “free clinic” which uses volunteer physicians and other health professionals), one of several federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) in DuPage County, or one of several hundred primary care physicians who graciously accept Access DuPage members into their private practices.
  4. The member will contact the Westmont Community Health Center henceforth for all routine medical care from a team of providers who know the member’s medical history, family, special needs and personal circumstance. The provider team will also offer a resource for information and guidance on preventive care and healthy choices. Finally, the medical home will provide the point of entry into the wider health system, help coordinate the utilization of that broader system and assist the member to navigate the system effectively and efficiently.
  5. If the primary care medical team at the Westmont Community Health Center determines that further medical services are required; these services are obtained in various ways. Members may receive laboratory or radiology services, specialty physician care, hospital inpatient care, physician groups services and prescription dugs from myriad local providers and partners at either no cost or greatly reduced cost/co-payment.

What are SDHI’s community partnerships?

 

SDHI works with eight DuPage County hospitals, about 700 DuPage physicians, DuPage Community Clinic, Access Community Health Network, DuPage County Health Department, DuPage County Board of Health, DuPage townships, Illinois Department of Human Services and myriad DuPage Human services agencies. Because of these extensive partnerships, the initiative is able to provide a comprehensive set of medical and ancillary services to clients.

How cost-effective is the initiative?

 

For every dollar spent directly on this Initiative, about 12 dollars of services are donated. Additionally, because of the careful management within an integrated system of care, the total per capita cost of care for a very challenging population is actually 17% less than the cost of buying medical insurance.

Who is eligible to use SDHI services?

 

Basic eligibility criteria requires that members:

  • are residents of DuPage County for at least the past 30 days
  • are under age 65
  • have a household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
  • have no medical insurance
  • are not eligible for private or public health coverage programs (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Benefits, etc.)

What are the demographics of the target populations?

 

Client demographics are:

  • 5% African-American
  • 15% Asian/Pacific Islander
  • 25% Caucasian
  • 53% Hispanic/Latino
  • 2% Other Race/Ethnicity

All clients are under 200% of the Federal Poverty Line.

What communities are served?

 

Clients come primarily from Addison, Woodridge, Westmont, Downers Grove, Lisle, Villa Park, Lombard, Naperville and Glen Ellyn, among others.

How will you measure the initiative’s success?

 

We will monitor program activities and outcomes annually for the duration of the grant. Outcomes we measure include:

  • Number and demographics of clients served
  • Number of clients connected to a primary care provider/medical home
  • Number of clients who utilize coordinated care, through connection to multiple types of medical services
  • Number of clients receiving health services in addition to physical health, oral health, mental health, education or other supportive services
  • Number of clients receiving specialty care (beyond services listed above)
  • Number of clients accessing affordable prescription medications
  • Client improvements of SF-12 scores (a common self-assessment tool that measures physical and mental health)
  • Community outreach activities to inform the community of the initiative’s work
  • Cultural competency best practices employed and developed
  • Replication of this model in other areas

How is SDHI funded?

 

For its first full fiscal year (FY12):

  • 55% – DuPage County hospitals and the DuPage County Board of Health
  • 29% – United Way of DuPage/West Cook
  • 16% – Community Memorial Foundation

What are SDHI’s expenses?

 

  • 51% – direct program costs, primarily prescription medications for clients
  • 31% – personnel
  • 15% – management and general
  • 3% – occupancy

What is United Way’s investment in SDHI?

 

United Way of DuPage/West Cook has made a three-year commitment of $275,000 for FY2011-2013. Funds for this grant come from a combination of general program funding, major gifts and proceeds from our annual LIVE UNITED 5k Run/Walk.

Additional Information

 

For more information and to schedule speakers and/or tours of the SDHI facility for your group, please contact:

Esther Hicks
Director of Community Investment
United Way of DuPage/West Cook
630.645.6333
Esther.Hicks@uw-mc.org