Erie Family Health Center

Erie Family Health Center’s outreach services bring Erie’s mission into the community

If you want to witness some of the exceptional services Erie Family Health Center provides, all you have to do is take a seat in  an Erie waiting room.  You’ll see patients moving in and out, taking with them a reassurance they’ve found a place that truly cares about their health.  If you wander throughout the clinic, you’ll see case managers working diligently alongside patients, educators teaching about the importance of exercise and healthy eating, providers listening to patients’ stories, and support groups learning and offering guidance to one another.

The amazing thing about Erie is that these wonderful services extend beyond the Erie walls. Outreach workers travel throughout Chicago communities to schools and social service agencies, educating and informing Chicagoans about a variety of health issues. By informing others on topics such as oral health, HIV/AIDS, depression, wellness and many others, these outreach workers not only teach participants about how to improve their health, but also spread the word on how Erie Family Health Center can help guide them to a healthier life.

Lauren Ranalli MPH, Manager of Community Programs, sees Erie’s outreach program as a vital part of bringing the message of health into Chicago communities.  “Outreach presentations are a great opportunity for Erie to engage with community members,” says Lauren. “They are a way for us to tell Chicago residents about the comprehensive programs and services offered at Erie.”

Outreach services also offer audiences the chance to focus on a particular topic or facet of their health. Whether it’s demonstrating the proper way to exercise, giving a cooking lesson, or using models to demonstrate the pathways of medication, presentations take a new spin on standard health lessons. “Participants at our outreach presentations can increase their knowledge on a new health topic, such as how to better manage their diabetes or protect themselves from contracting HIV.  They can also gain a new skill, such as how to talk to their child about sexual health or how to read a food nutrition label,” says Lauren.

(more…)

Erie Beats

Read more about Erie’s Oral Health Program in the August editions of the American Dental Association and National Network for Oral Health Access!

American Dental Association (ADA) page 2

From all the experiences I have had at Erie, there are a few that I remember the most. The first was at Erie Albany Park Dental Center in 2006, which is where we saw our first diabetic patients. We had one case that was an older diabetic patient. She came into our clinic with almost no teeth and she stated to us that she couldn’t eat her favorite foods, chilaquiles (traditional Mexican dish). She started her treatment and then she received a full denture. She was so excited and hugged us all and she cried how happy she was. She was thrilled that she could now eat her favorite foods again! This day was the first time I got teary eyes at work because it made me realize that my choice of working for Erie Albany Park Dental Center would be a great experience and would be the beginning of how our oral health program would change the lives of many people.

I have been with Erie Family Health Center since April 2005 as a volunteer. Then, in November 2005, I started working full time at Erie Dental Center in Albany Park. I was the first staff member to be hired by the Vice President of Oral Health Services. I was extremely excited to start working for the Oral Health program at Erie as a Patient Support Specialist. In 2007, Erie opened a second dental clinic – Erie Dental Center – located in Erie Humboldt Park Health Center, which is where I moved.  I was given the opportunity to become Clinic Supervisor for Oral Health in October 2008.

One thing I have learned about working at Erie: the dental program has a great team, which allows us to serve our patients with respect and high quality care. Part of our mission at Erie Family Health Center, we believe health care is a right, not a privilege. Having this in mind, the dental team serves many different kinds of patients, including children, pregnant women, diabetic adults and patients living with HIV/AIDS.

(more…)