Erie Family Health Center Closing the Gap for Hispanics with Award-Winning Maternal Health Program.

CHICAGO -- When Malarie Rodriguez found herself three weeks pregnant and in an abusive relationship, she turned to Erie Family Health Center. Like 33% of Hispanics in the United States, Rodriguez was not insured. And she was more likely to receive poorer-quality care, according to the latest government reports. But Rodriguez knew Erie Family Health Center offered quality care that would help her through the pregnancy and out of her situation regardless of her ability to pay.

She enrolled in Erie Family Health Center's maternal health program and was assigned to a case manager. The case manager provided counseling, home visits, donations of bottles and other items for the baby. "At every single appointment, I felt comfortable," she said. Erie Family Health Center's award-winning maternal health program ensures Rodriguez and hundreds of women like her receive comprehensive quality care.

The maternal health program at Erie Family Health Center was recognized as one of nation's best and received the 2005 Spirit of Excellence Award in Quality given by Modern Healthcare magazine and Sodexho Health Care Services. The award was given to Erie Family Health Center for its patient-care model which increased enrollment for mothers in their first trimester to 77% from 44% and reduced babies with low birth weight from 8% to 5%. These statistics are well above the national and state enrollment levels of 60% and 56%, respectively, and below low birth weights of 7%.

Erie Family Health Center fills a serious void in health care in the Chicago area. The 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) released January 9 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported a gap between Hispanics and whites is widening nationwide in both quality of care and access to care. Of the nearly 28,000 individuals served at Erie annually, 87% are Hispanic and 53% are uninsured. By providing greater access and improving quality of care, Erie Family Health Center is helping close the health care gap for Hispanics in Chicago.

Since 1956, Erie Family Health Center has provided comprehensive primary health care services to individuals and families, regardless of their ability to pay. Eight sites serve nearly 28,000 patients each year: three elementary school-based health centers, a teen health center and a dental center. Erie Family Health Center' maternal health program is ranked number one among 35 other prenatal programs in the Chicago metro area for enrolling patients in their first trimester.