Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver’s Elyria-Swansea Neighborhood Celebrates Grand Opening

/in , /by

A new health center is bringing much-needed services to families in Denver’s Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

The new state-of-the-art 24,500-square-foot Tepeyac Community Health Center opened at the corner of E. 48th Avenue and Vine Street.

“We’re in a neighborhood that hasn’t had a grocery store in it for over 50 years; we’re in a neighborhood that hasn’t had a pharmacy,” said Kristin Weber, director of development at Tepeyac Community Health Center.

That changed, now that the non-profit health center opened its doors.

“When we say we were built by the community, for the community, that is the truth. And that’s an awesome story to tell,” said Weber.

Their story started out of an 800-square-foot home on Denver’s north side 30 years ago. And now the new clinical facility, which shares space with 150 units of affordable housing, is bringing healthcare to families separated from the rest of the city by Interstate 70 to the south and Interstate 25 to the west.

The convenience means everything to Tycora Jones, who lives right next door.

“We don’t have to worry about catching buses and doing the bus stops and the kids driving us crazy on the trips,” said Jones.

Inside the clinic, patients of all ages can receive medical care, dental care, x-rays, and behavioral healthcare. There’s even an on-site pharmacy and access to fresh food.

The clinic’s providers are bilingual and accept health insurance or self-paying patients who pay what they can for care that is needed. Tepeyac expects to serve 23,000 patients in the next five years.

“This is a beautiful space and this is care that everyone deserves,” said Weber.

View the Denver7 News video ‘A New Health Center Is Bringing Much-Needed Services To Families In Denver’s Elyria-Swansea Neighborhood‘ below.

Source: Denver7 News

New Specially Designed Facility Planned For BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital In Tampa

/in , /by

BayCare, West Central Florida’s leading health care system, announced that it is planning to build a new, specially designed facility for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa by 2030 as part of a strategic effort to increase the region’s access to high-quality, state-of-the-art pediatric health care.

BayCare is the region’s largest provider of pediatric services and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital (SJCH) is its largest-volume pediatric hospital. The investment in a new facility for the hospital is part of BayCare’s comprehensive plan to enhance local pediatric expertise and to create a destination hospital for high-acuity pediatric services, research and medical innovation for West Central Florida and beyond.

In addition to the capital plan, BayCare will grow its multi-specialty, non-hospital pediatric clinics to improve access to care for patients and their families closer to home. BayCare is planning to expand its pediatric graduate medical education programs, including teaching, research and training to fuel continued medical innovation and help ensure the region continues to attract the best and brightest to practice medicine here.

“From its founding, BayCare has been about serving its communities, who deserve the highest-quality health care,” said BayCare CEO and President Stephanie Conners. “BayCare wants West Central Florida’s children and families to continue to have access close to home to the best in medical care that combines the latest treatment innovations with our unmatched compassionate care. These investments will make that possible.”

From birth — nearly 13,000 baby deliveries in 2022 — to adulthood, BayCare offers everything for children from primary care and specialist physicians to state-of-the-art interventions. Particularly of note is The Daniel J. Plasencia, MD Children’s Chronic Complex Clinic at SJCH, which treats children and supports their families as they face the most challenging of chronic conditions. The clinic has been the role model for federal legislation to encourage such clinics at hospitals across the country. Similarly, a longstanding relationship with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center/Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has made SJCH a destination for congenital heart care for children, where there has been great progress in children surviving to adulthood.

The Tampa hospital also is home to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Steinbrenner Emergency/Trauma Center with the region’s largest team of board-certified pediatric emergency physicians.  The state-designated pediatric trauma center provides the highest level of care for children.

“In health care, to stand still is not an option when medical innovation is providing new opportunities every day to impact our patients’ lives,” said Sarah Naumowich, president of St. Joseph’s Children’s and Women’s hospitals. “We are investing in our region’s future, its children, to help them be as healthy as possible.”

The St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation is planning a philanthropic campaign to support the new hospital facility. Currently the hospital is adjacent to St. Joseph’s Hospital and shares some common spaces. By building a new, dedicated structure, the pediatric hospital will be able to further evolve specialty care and research dedicated to children’s health and the support of their families.

“The best pediatric care is family-centered care that treats the child but also supports those who love and care for them,” Naumowich said. “A new facility will allow us to do that even better, marrying the best in medical innovation and options in an environment built to the needs of patients and families.”

A new SJCH facility would be the fourth new hospital project BayCare has undertaken in the past five years. BayCare has already announced plans to build its 17th hospital in fast-growing Manatee County, where the health system has already opened BayCare Medical Group offices. BayCare opened its 16th hospital, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, in March 2023 and will open a replacement facility for South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City in early 2024.

“Our growing region deserves the very best in health care and BayCare is committed to continuing to be the leader in serving our communities’ youngest patients,” Conners said.

 

UNT Dallas To Build $100 Million Healthcare Education Building

/in /by

UNT Dallas just broke ground on a $100 STEM complex on its campus in southern Dallas in an effort to improve the healthcare workforce pipeline in North Texas.

The four-story facility will include 18-20 classrooms, nine biology and chemistry teaching labs, three research labs, and a large event venue. The plans include work areas, faculty offices, a student STEM center, a public green space, and a Joint Admission Medical Program space to provide resources for those considering medical school.

The sustainably-built building will provide space for pursuing healthcare careers such as medical, nursing, and pharmacy schools.

“When completed, this building will stand as the most consequential addition to the UNT Dallas main campus, bringing expanded opportunities for our current and future students to be trained for significant healthcare careers,” said Bob Mong, UNT Dallas president. “For employers, our graduates will help solve urgent healthcare shortages in our community. This is a win for our students, our industry partners, and the future of healthcare in North Texas.”

Construction is set to begin within the month on the Stantec and Harrison Kornberg-designed building, allowing students to take advantage of what is a growing industry with shortages at nearly every level. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says STEM-related healthcare positions pay more than average and are projected to grow nearly 11 percent in the next decade. According to the Health Resources & Services Administration, the US needs more than 17,000 additional primary care practitioners and 8,200 mental health practitioners.

“This is a tremendous day for UNT Dallas. I’m thankful and grateful,” said Betty Stewart, UNT Dallas provost. “This STEM building will be transformational to our campus.”

The growing campus is being built to empower and provide upward mobility to diverse learners, and the school’s population reflects that goal. According to Data USA, the enrolled student body is 47.6 percent Hispanic, 26.4 percent Black, 13.9 percent White, and 2.6 percent Asian. Nearly half (41.5 percent) of the UNT Dallas population are first-generation college students.

Healthcare shortages are more acute in communities of color. Black people constitute 13 percent of the US population but only 5.7 percent of physicians. An April 2023 study published in JAMA Network Open found that every 10 percent increase in Black primary care physicians in a county increased life expectancy by one month for Black patients. More Black physicians in a region also reduce the gap between life expectancy for White and Black Americans, which currently sits at six years nationwide.

The building is set to open in the spring of 2026.

 

Source: D CEO Magazine