Then

Heartland Community Health Clinic is an example of how a community addresses its share of a nation-wide problem: a growing segment of the population, spanning all ages, lacks access to health care. The working poor, unemployed, and children are among those affected. When faced with a need for care many do without because they have no insurance, little or no money, and are ineligible for government assistance programs.

The physicians of Peoria Medical Society viewed this problem with increasing concern and appointed a task force to study the issue. It was found that many people in the community shared these concerns and were willing to work towards a solution.

After months of study, the medical, business, and religious communities of Peoria worked together to develop Heartland Community Health Clinic located at 600 NE Monroe Street, Peoria, IL. The clinic began operating on December 10, 1991.

The clinic was primarily staffed by volunteers with only one paid employee. The primary care physicians who worked in the clinic, the specialists to whom they referred, the nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and clerical personnel were all donating their time and services. Most of the supplies and equipment used in the clinic were donated. Peoria’s three hospitals provided diagnostic testing and inpatient services at no charge to the patient on a monthly rotation.

Now

Heartland Community Health Clinic (HCHC) has been in operation since February 1, 2004, as a federally designated community health center. Its targeted population includes the largest concentration of low-income adults and children and the greatest percentage of minorities, uninsured, medically indigent and homeless within the city of Peoria and the larger Tri-county region. Heartland’s work enjoys the support of the local hospitals, the medical school, the larger community and the local newspaper.

Heartland employs 7 primary care physicians (5.55 FTE) and 7 Mid-level (4.15FTE) to serve nearly 11,000 patients annually. The clinic’s main site is located at 1701 W. Garden, in the south end of Peoria. Downtown bisects Peoria’s high-poverty, high-minority population centers, which are concentrated in its north and south valleys and increasingly on its East Bluff. Heartland added a second primary site at 711 W. John Gwynn Jr. Ave. in May 2006. An additional site was added August 2007 to the East Bluff at 2321 N. Wisconsin Avenue. This site was expanded in June 2009 to provide additional medical exam rooms and a new 7 operatory dental clinic.

During calendar year 2008, 34,179 visits were provided to 10,467 unduplicated patients. As comparison, 32,366 visits were provided to 9,448 patients during 2007.

The payor mix for these patient visits is as follows:

Heartland at East Bluff – 2321 N. Wisconsin Avenue, Peoria, IL	Heartland at Garden -1701 W. Garden Street, Peoria, IL
Heartland at Neighborhood House -1020 S. Matthew Street, Peoria, IL	Heartland at Carver -711 W. John Gwynn Jr. Avenue, Peoria, IL