North End Community Health Center on Hanover St.by Marianne Aiello
One of the many reasons that the North End is considered such prime Boston real estate is because of its proximity to Massachusetts General Hospital. And while one of the top hospitals in the world is less than a mile from Hanover Street, there is MGH-quality health care even closer to home at the North End Community Health Center.
In 2000, the health center officially became affiliated with MGH and the Partners HealthCare network. North End Community Health Center leadership decided to pursue this partnership to ensure the best possible care for patients.
“It was at a time when health centers in the state were looking to become part of a hospital network so they could provide seamless care to their patients,” says Jim Luisi, executive director and CEO of the health center. “Hospitals were also looking to partner with community health centers as part of their commitment to community benefit.”
Since the health center opened its doors in 1971, MGH has provided some support to the organization. The affiliation made in 2000 only strengthened that connection.
“We were looking for a hospital to provide financial support as shrinking resources forced us to evaluate the type and scope of services we provided,” Luisi says. “Since the majority of our patients used MGH for tertiary care, it was obvious that we should join MGH and the Partners HealthCare network.”
There are many ways a community health center can benefit by affiliating itself with a larger health system. For example, by partnering with MGH the North End Community Health Center is able to offer patients better integration of care, improved referral tracking, and enhanced information and medical technology.
MGH also provides the health center with services it couldn’t afford to do on its own, such as occupational health, an employee assistance program, security and police, and buildings and grounds work.
“Additionally, all of the health center doctors became enrolled in the MGH Physicians Organization and thus became members of a select group of Harvard teaching hospital physicians,” Luisi says.
“All of the health center doctors became enrolled in the MGH Physicians Organization and thus became members of a select group of Harvard teaching hospital physicians.”
The MGH affiliation still allows North End Community Health Center to operate independently and maintain its nationally-recognized Federally Qualified Health Center status. The health center also has its own board of directors, comprised of local residents and business people, who help guide the organization.
“This unique relationship with MGH and Partners allows us to health care tailored specifically for the North End community while also providing patients access to the best doctors in the country,” Luisi says. “It’s truly the best of both worlds.”
