Parkland staff ‘make a difference’ in communities they serve
Parkland staff ‘make a difference’ in communities they serve
Celebrate National Health Center Week
National Health Center Week (Aug. 4-10) is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers over the past five decades. For staff at Parkland Health’s network of neighborhood-based health centers, living and working in the communities they serve holds even more meaning.
This year, the theme of National Health Center Week is “powering communities through caring connections.”
Veronica Flores has worked at Parkland for 22 years and transferred to deHaro-Saldivar Health Center nearly six years ago. The senior medical assistant said living closer to work allows her “to give back to the community by identifying my way of life to that of our patient population,” she said. “I can relate to their needs and that usually opens the door to mutual trust and respect. I am very transparent and I allow them to see that my way of life is no different from theirs.”
As a pediatrician at Hatcher Station Health Center, Cristina Tamez, MD, says living in the community where you work helps “your community, your neighbors and those who are around you. You’re also up to date with what’s going on in the community and what the needs of the community are.”
Since the network of Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) health centers came to fruition in the late 1980’s, staff has looked for ways to meet the growing demand for services. In fiscal year 2023, Parkland recorded more than 1 million outpatient visits.
Health centers across the country serve 31 million patients, a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. In addition to their long history as healthcare homes to millions, health centers produce innovative solutions to the most pressing healthcare issues in their communities and reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the social determinants of health affecting special patient populations, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).
“With an ever-expanding demand for access to primary and specialty care, Parkland continues to play a vital role in the lives of Dallas County residents. It is our mission and our privilege to provide services that promote the health and well-being of individuals and communities,” said Noel Santini, MD, Vice President and Senior Medical Director of Ambulatory and Population Medicine at Parkland.
Armando Quiroz says he is a “product of what it means to be in the community.” An STI/HIV test counselor with Parkland’s STI/HIV Services department, Quiroz has lived in numerous places throughout Dallas County and even as a child saw first-hand what it was like to have a health center nearby.
“I suffered from asthma as a kid, and I was always getting sick. It was either an upset stomach or something,” he recalled, noting that when he or his siblings fell ill, his mom would seek out the services Parkland provided. Now, as an employee, not only does he cite the importance of living in the community to better serve it, but the ease of access to public transportation as well.
“For many of our patients transportation is a big issue. Here at Hatcher, we’re right across from the train,” he says as he glances at the nearby rail station. “And at Parkland, you can get off the train and you’re by the Ron J. Anderson, MD Clinic and take a left and you’re at the Moody Outpatient Center.”
Community is at the core of the COPC concept, which began in 1989 when the old East Dallas Health Center opened. In 2015, the aging facility closed and was replaced by the Hatcher Station Health Center. Most recently, Parkland opened C.V. Roman Health Center in the Red Bird area of southern Dallas County, as well as Jubilee Park Community Clinic in the southeast Dallas County. Today, Parkland operates a 16 COPC health centers throughout the county, making primary and preventive healthcare more accessible.
In addition, Parkland operates a geriatric clinic and senior outreach services, the Homeless Outreach Medical Services (HOMES) program, as well as providing correctional health for the Dallas County adult and juvenile jail system.
For a list of health center locations, visit www.parklandhealth.org/locations. For information about services available at Parkland, visit www.parklandhealth.org.
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